Meeting Community Health Needs in 2006
CVPH is the sole hospital within Clinton County. As a not-for-profit medical center, all patients are treated regardless of their ability to pay for services. In 2006 there was a continuation of the trend toward higher utilization. Admissions and patient days increased. Emergency Care Center visits again exceeded 52,000 with a number of those patients having no primary care physician nor means of paying for care. There were a record number of outpatient visits, surgical procedures and clinic visits. The CVPH Health Center clinic accepts Medicaid, while the Dental Center operates exclusively for patients covered by Medicaid.
|
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
| Admissions |
11,751 |
11,703 |
11,102 |
11,058 |
|
| Patient Days |
97,144 |
96,333 |
92,567 |
95,801 |
| Births |
972 |
1,032 |
979 |
1,045 |
| Emergency Visits |
52,065 |
52,787 |
49,545 |
50,305 |
| Outpatient Visits |
296,184 |
285,266 |
278,425 |
268,353 |
| Surgeries |
18,104 |
17,433 |
15,433 |
16,454 |
| Clinic Visits |
28,042 |
25,873 |
25,255 |
25,703 |
| Women's Imaging |
14,651 |
14,123 |
13,057 |
13,597 |
| Dialysis Treatments |
15,786 |
13,155 |
13,755 |
14,809 |
In 2006, a number of steps were taken to increase access to care. A brief summary includes the following:
- Enroll 51 separate families for health insurance as part of Cover the Uninsured Week activities.
- Liberalize the CVPH CARES Program to increase access to care by removing financial barriers.
- Recruit 14 physicians to the Medical Staff/community including by specialty:
- Interventional Cardiology
- Cardiology/Electrophysiology
- Gastroenterology
- Obstetrics/Gynecology (2)
- Neurosurgery
- General Surgery
- Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery
- Dermatology
- Radiology (2)
- Pathology
- Emergency Medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Add electrophysiology services as part of the Champlain Valley Heart Center at CVPH.
- Introduce a hospitalist service to provide care for medical patients admitted to CVPH through the Emergency Department that either do not have a primary care physician or that have a primary care physician with no privileges to practice at CVPH.
- Implement a Diabetes Self-Management Education Program and community outreach in conjunction with the Clinton County Health Department and JCEO.
- Develop a Transitional Care Unit as part of a New York State Department of Health demonstration project to facilitate the transition of acute-care patients from the hospital to the most appropriate setting for their needs.
- Add 28 skilled nursing facility beds on an emergency basis to help address the acute shortage in the county with the closure of Cedar Hedge Nursing Home in Rouses Point.
- Participate via the Foundation of CVPH in a number of projects to help those in need by providing services or helping fund care including:
- Clinton County Women's Health Partnership
- Roger Senecal Fund
- CVPH Travel Fund
- April LaValley Fund
- MLP Organ Donation Fund
- Chelsea Rainbow Fund
- Help to fund via the Foundation of CVPH as community outreach:
- Construction of a handicapped-accessible tree house for community use.
- Red Cross/United Way Vital Link personal medication information program.
- Senior Enrichment Day
- Breast Cancer Awareness campaign (in conjunction with three other North Country hospitals).
- Sponsorship of a speaker to discuss mental-health issues in conjunction with two local agencies.
- Sponsor a free community health lecture series that covered:
- Cold & Flu Prevention and Treatment
- Women & Heart Disease
- Compassionate Care for the Geriatric Population
- Craniosacral Therapy
- Medicare Part D
- Compassion Fatigue for Caregivers
- Keeping Kids Safe On-Line
- Heart Healthy Diets
- Suicide Prevention
- Emergency Preparedness
- Develop a Wellness in the North Country free monthly series coordinated by CVPH dietitians that focuses on diet, exercise and stress management.