Major shifts in healthcare are forcing hospitals to adapt rapidly, Dr. Jonathan C. Sague, CEO for University Hospitals East Market, told a large crowd at the March 17 Middlefield Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Major shifts in healthcare are forcing hospitals to adapt rapidly, Dr. Jonathan C. Sague, CEO for University Hospitals East Market, told a large crowd at the March 17 Middlefield Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
More patients want to spend less time in hospitals, and advances in medical science are making that possible, he said, noting that outpatient care and short-term observation programs often help shorten hospital stays.
Patients are also shopping for the best facility covered by their insurance and researching costs before making decisions, Sague said. They study procedures online and, with new technologies, expect faster recoveries and better outcomes.
Sague said he has been working to maintain UH’s robotic surgery program and increase its volume, particularly because new surgeons expect access to these systems. Keeping the program strong benefits patients and helps recruit physicians, he said.
Like many industries, healthcare is grappling with inflation. Surgical implants and pharmaceuticals have risen 20% or more, while Medicare, Medicaid and other payers are not keeping pace, Sague said.
Politics and government shutdowns also affect the industry, he said, but when a nonprofit hospital such as UH Geauga Medical Center relies on Medicare reimbursement for a growing patient population, financial losses can become a problem.
UH needs financial margin to reinvest into hospitals, equipment, programs and patient care, Sague said, adding while UHGMC has remained financially stable, monthly hits from policy disruptions are real.
He emphasized that hospitals must continue improving efficiency, reducing waste, eliminating unnecessary spending and returning to positive margins.
