Role of the urgent and emergency care hospital
Jim Young
inception. A concern, question have you, is whether our business is
in direct conflict of our referring hospitals, which we have look to
as not only clients but colleagues? The reality is that a vast
majority of the services we provide can be accomplished at a primary
care facility. What separates us from general practice is often
simply a matter of convenience or need by the client.
Patterns of competition have been defined as progressing with time.
As services become “more efficient, functional and reliable” – that is
when services are deemed more than adequately covered by all
providers, then the measure of QUALITY becomes “defined by
convenience, speed and responsiveness.” Further stated, “Every job
has functional, emotional and social dimensions.” Client service is
centered on the ability to deliver upon the needs and expectations of
the client. Companies that success, are ones that can match the needs
of these specific “dimension”1.
Are we competing? Or is our role is to meet a demand and expectation
for service? Technology and innovations such as in-house diagnostic
laboratory tests, assays, improvements in surgical techniques and
imaging are all leading to leveling the playing field with management
of many disease conditions. This holds true for general practices,
emergency care, specialty and tertiary care facilities.
From the emergency hospital perspective: We do not operate as an
“emergency only” facility, as this is really not a defined statement.
What is an “emergency?” Look to human medicine, a significant portion
of what is provide is indigent care, service for people who have no
primary care doctor and folks with immediate needs – are all (or any)
of these cases emergencies? The services we provide matches our human
counter-parts – receiving strays, clients in financial hardship and
folks that are seeking immediate care make up a reasonable amount of
our caseload (comes with the territory)
As has already been stated, much of what we (emergency hospital)
offer is a matter of meeting an immediate need and certainly
supporting client concerns (addresses the functional and emotional
dimension).
Clients call us because they have a need. Perhaps they have already
called their “regular” doctor and have been referred to us because no
appointments are available or the referring hospital has determine
that we are best equipped to meet that particular need. We have an
obligation to supporting the need and accommodation the request to the
best of our ability. The benefit that we offer to our colleague is a
line of communication back to the referring hospital and support in
assisting client when the primary doctor is not available.
What is your perspective?
This is copied from blog: Thoughts and Perspectives -
http://drjfyoung.blogspot.com/2010/02/role-of-urgent-and-emergency-care.html
1 From: Innovator’s Prescription, Christensen, CM et al 2009, McGraw-
Hill, New York Chapter 4 on Disrupting the Business Model of the
Physician’s Practice