The infusion of millions of dollars at Scranton's three hospitals has fueled technological advances, improved facilities and enhanced patient care, hospital executives agree.
As part of its July 2011 agreement with Community Medical Center and its affiliated facilities, Geisinger Health Systems pledged to invest $158.6 million in capital improvements at the hospital over the next seven years.
Also in 2011, the for-profit company Community Health Systems Inc. acquired Regional Hospital of Scranton, then known as Mercy Hospital, and Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton and Mid-Valley Hospital in Blakely.
Under the separate agreements, CHS promised to commit at least $68 million in capital improvements at Regional Hospital and its affiliates. The Franklin, Tenn.-based company later committed to invest at least $60 million for capital improvements at Moses Taylor.
Most of the money remains unspent, but some capital projects have helped to alter the landscape of health care in the area.
High-tech
Anthony D. Aquilina, D.O., chief medical officer at GCMC, calls the hospital's electronic health record system, EPIC, a "game changer" in health care in this community.
The new software system, which GCMC fully converted to Feb. 23, logs patients' medical histories and clinical information and stores it on a database accessible to caregivers.
It's part of a $20 million information technology upgrade, which replaces an inefficient paper filing system, and connects nurses, physicians and other health care providers throughout the hospital by allowing them to share information more efficiently.
"The advantages are incredible," Dr. Aquilina said. "It's going to be a wonderful thing to improve the quality of health care in this community."
None of the three CHS-owned Lackawanna County hospitals has fully converted to electronic medical records, yet. But officials are in the process of installing the Siemens Soarian EMR at Moses Taylor Hospital, Chief Executive Officer Justin Davis said.
Both Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor will begin computerized physician order entry by the beginning of June, officials said.
The transition in operating systems is part of a Commonwealth Health-wide $40 million investment.
Commonwealth Health Director of Communications Jim McGuire was not able to provide the costs for any capital projects at the three CHS-owned county hospitals.
"Our physicians have been tremendously supportive," Mr. McGuire said. "They understand the need. They understand what is right for our patients."
Patient Care
Instructed to create a plan for how officials could invest capital in a way that would "directly impact patient care" at the facility, Mr. Davis looked no further than the hospital's aging equipment.
He said officials spent more than $1 million on about 150 new patient beds and pressure sensitive mattresses.
Moses Taylor has spent another million on new IV pumps, "updated with the most ... safety features."
"A lot of times you run into equipment that's in use past it's useful life, or it's in need of replacement," Mr. Davis said. "If you think about it, what does a patient spend the most time in at a hospital? A patient bed."
Significant improvements to patient care and patient safety have also been made at Regional Hospital, said Chief Operating Officer Cindy Segar-Miller
The hospital has renovated its cardiac catheterization laboratory, she said, while also adding new technology and equipment that will "help the staff deliver new and improved care."
"Our goal is to enhance the services we provide and keep the people in the market," Ms. Segar-Miller said.
Expanding facilities
Amid construction on a $25.7 million physician office building, GCMC will break ground on a $80 million "facility expansion" on June 3.
Workers are finishing the design phase of the facility, which will feature 14 "state-of-the-art" operating rooms, a new intensive/critical care unit and additional medical office space, Dr. Aquilina said.
Each room in the ICU will have video cameras and microphones connected to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, so there will be "24/7" physician coverage.
"To provide state-of-the-art health care, you have to have state-of-the-art facilities," Dr. Aquilina said. "To get the best doctors and the best care, you have to provide those doctors (with) the most up-to-date facilities.
"We are going to bring a new standard of facility to the town."
Moses Taylor, meanwhile, is in the middle of expanding its emergency department.
Construction, which started in March, includes a new nursing substation and patient isolation area, and an increase in the number of emergency treatment rooms from 16 to 19.
The estimated $500,000 project is expected to be done in June. It was deemed necessary because the high-volume of patients exceeded the available rooms, resulting in extended wait times.
"It (the emergency department) is currently operating well above its capacity, so we are adding three more beds," Mr. Davis said. "We are still are in the process of developing our strategic plan and our building plan for the market, but we have great hopes for the future here."
Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter