|
|
||
|
'Game on' at HCA's Spotsylvania hospital Five years in the planning and two years in the making, Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center is now open Date published: 6/8/2010
BY JIM HALL What happened yesterday at the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center was not exactly a grand opening--the hospital has been open for two weeks and has treated hundreds of patients. Perhaps the ceremony was better described as a "celebration, a beginning," said one executive. Or perhaps, "game on," said another. Either way, the event was public recognition of the arrival of the region's third acute-care hospital and Spotsylvania County's first. The 126-bed facility is the newest in the HCA Inc. chain and the smallest of the 13 hospitals that it operates in Virginia. Interstate 95 is visible from its parking lots, just south of Massaponax. Spotsylvania Regional represents a new kind of hospital company for the region, a for-profit operation that pays state and local taxes. For 110 years, the nonprofit Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg and its younger sibling Stafford Hospital have been the area's only hospitals. Five years in the making, Spotsylvania Regional arrived yesterday with speeches, ribbon-cutting, cherry tree planting and the release of a flock of white doves. "It's been quite a ride," said Margaret Lewis, president of HCA's capital division. The hospital's actual opening occurred May 24. New federal regulations require hospitals to admit 30 patients before Joint Commission inspection and certification as Medicare and Medicaid providers. In the two weeks since then, patients have moved through its intensive care unit, cardiac cath lab, same-day surgery section and psychiatric unit. The staff has delivered at least two babies, performed 11 surgeries, admitted 70 patients and treated more than 300 people in the emergency room. "I'd say we've used virtually all of our services," said Tim Tobin, chief executive officer. While yesterday's ceremony was taking place at the entrance, a surgeon was upstairs preparing for two scheduled operations, and a Bowling Green Rescue Squad ambulance was out back unloading a patient. A man in the front row, however, by the speaker's podium, may have been the most important visitor. Dr. Michael Norman had arrived unannounced about an hour before the start of the ceremony. He was from the Joint Commission, the Chicago-based organization that accredits the nation's hospitals. Norman was there to see if the hospital is ready to be a federal provider. He's expected to be on site for about four days. Hospital officials hope that by the time he departs, he'll approve of what he's seen. If so, the hospital will be completely open. Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 6/8/2010
How do you "show a loss for tax purposes" exactly?
Thank you
find that a FOR PROFIT hospital will generally charge twice
as much as a non profit hospital, and so ANTHEM will be re-
imbursing more for the HCA hospital than the non-profit
MWH. the patient may or may not pay more out of pocket
depending on their policy, but the for profit hospital can
reduce its tax liability by showing more of a Loss....get
it....they make a profit, but they show a loss for tax
purposes, reducing their tax liability....a great business
model
Hey, therestofthestory, did you not see the part about "SPOTSY HOSPITAL STILL NOT AN ANTHEM PROVIDER"? How about actually reading the story before commenting? Oh, wait, it's more fun to just be indignant and p---ed off than to actually inform yourself.
it's not uncommon for them to take weeks, but could be only days.
the REAL story...is HCA accepting Anthem or not? That is the story....not this fluff piece!
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
