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AFFILIATION MANIA
Your cheat sheet to the frenzy of hospital mergers and affiliations that have occurred over the last few years.
consumers. HCAHPS scores play into their decision about what hos- pital to choose. We are really cogni- zant of that here.”
What makes those surveys more important than simply the happi- ness of their patients is that hospi- tals receiving Medicare or Medicaid money can be either penalized or re- warded a percentage of their reim- bursements based on those scores.
“It’s made everyone very focused on the quality of care,” says Elisabeth Wynn, senior vice president for health, economics, and finance at the Greater New York Hospital Association, of how seriously hospital administrators regard their scores.
Still, no matter what the scores suggest or the ads promote, a strong sentiment persists among many Westchester residents that you need to head south, to New York City, to find the best medical institutions.
Refuting that contention is an- other battle hospitals here have to face if their plans to win over pa- tients are to be successful. A recent spate of promotions on television, radio, in print, and online empha- sized both the great care to be had close to home, as well as the NYC
At Phelps Memorial Hospital Center’s SurgiCenter, each patient has a private room in the admission and recovery area.
connections that local hospitals have to big names, like NewYork- Presbyterian, Montefiore, or Lenox Hill (a Northwell affiliate).
To paraphrase the film Field of Dreams: If you build it, they will come. Hopefully. Nine of the 12 area hospitals are nearing or have surpassed the century mark, num- bering them among the oldest businesses in Westchester. In ad- dition to caring for sick residents and their longstanding histories, these hospitals are vital to the lo- cal economy. Thousands are em- ployed within their walls, and hospital entities own large swaths of Westchester real estate. There’s a lot riding on their success, while the continuing evolution of health- care creates an uncertain future. Thus, the competition shows no sign of abating.
Says Northwell’s Ferreri, “Sur- vival is based on volume, efficiency, quality, and service.”•
Bonnie Dresner is a local freelance journalist, EMS educator, and para- medic. She’s witnessed the evolution of hospital care while bringing patients through the doors of many facilities over the years.
Greenwich Hospital: Joined Yale New Haven Health System in 1998.
Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital: The former Mount Vernon Hospital was acquired by Montefiore Health System in 2013.
Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital: The former Sound Shore Medical Center was acquired by Montefiore Health System in 2013.
NewYork-Presbyterian/ Lawrence Hospital: The former Lawrence Hospital was acquired by NewYork-Presbyterian in 2014 after more than 10 years of affiliation.
NewYork-Presbyterian/ Hudson Valley Hospital: The former Hudson Valley Hospital Center was acquired by NewYork-Presbyterian in 2015.
Northern Westchester Hospital:
Joined Northwell Health in 2014.
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center: Joined Northwell Health in 2014.
Saint Joseph’s Medical Center:
Remains independent with a clinical affiliation to Montefiore Health System.
St. John’s Riverside Hospital:
Remains independent with a clinical affiliation to Montefiore Health System.
St. John’s Riverside Dobbs Ferry Pavilion: The former Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry was acquired by St. John’s in 2002.
Westchester Medical Center: Acquired six hospitals within the past three years, in Poughkeepsie, Suffern, Warwick, Kingston, Margaretville and Port Jervis.
White Plains Hospital:
Became a member of the Montefiore Health System in 2015.
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