East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

This week continues the Hospital District’s series addressing common questions and concerns. We know the community is frustrated by the amount of provider turnover and we are too. The number one frustration/difficulty listed by rural hospitals is provider turnover. It happens too often and when it does it creates significant difficulty for our patients. People don’t want to and shouldn’t have to continually establish care with a new provider. We absolutely understand everyone’s desire to be able to see the same provider each time they go to the clinic. Establishing quality consistent care for our community is top priority for the Hospital District. As we work on recruiting new providers, our focus is not just on their abilities but also on their plans for the future. It is important to us that we find someone who wants to move into our community and stay for years. We want a provider that will get involved in their community. It takes a special individual that wants to live in a small rural community and we are committed to find someone that will be the right fit for us and our patients.

Staffing at the clinic is more complicated than it seems. The Pomeroy Medical Clinic is designated as a rural health clinic by the federal government. This allows us to receive an enhanced reimbursement from Medicare based on our costs. There are requirements to be part of this program though. First, at least 50% of the care must be provided by a mid-level provider (nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant). Second, the providers have productivity standards they must meet; otherwise, we are penalized by Medicare. It is a delicate balance to maintain between ensuring we have the right MD to mid-level mix, as well as offering enough same-day appointments while still meeting productivity standards. We would love to have a whole team of providers for our patients to choose from but must be mindful of our expenses and productivity.

We hope this has helped clear up any questions or concerns you may have had. Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions. As always, we appreciate you continued support of Garfield County Hospital District!