Guest Column: NARH Has Clear Mission to Community
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Though NARH's financial challenges are not yet behind us — the Court system continues to review our debt reorganization plan, and the changing dynamics of health-care reimbursement in the region mean that large financial surpluses are unlikely to be part of our story in the future — the board and leadership of the Hospital have begun to look ahead.
Over the past several months, we have grown more convinced that NARH is an essential resource in this community. At a time when local residents could be forgiven for doubting us, the hospital's volume numbers have remained strong. Our employees, who have weathered a number of challenges and changes in recent years, are more focused than ever on delivering quality patient care and improving patient satisfaction. This is evident in our recent 100 percent achievement on core quality indicators of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Local businesses have been more than fair to us during our financial reorganization, recognizing the important role we play as an economic engine in the region.
Considering the future of the hospital and our continued role in the community requires the board — made up of people who live here and use our hospital — to think about priorities. Though there is much discussion still to be had about how to move forward to meet the challenges of tomorrow, the board is clear on those priorities.
First and foremost, we exist to meet the needs of our community — primarily as a health-care provider, but also as an employer and economic engine. As we have made changes in operations in the past year, we have been careful to put patient needs first. In particular, we have made every effort to maintain and enhance services that are most critical to our local community. In the future, we hope to have the opportunity to improve our capacity in critical areas and invest in new programs that allow residents to receive the best possible care in their community.
Quality is paramount. At every board meeting, we review quality data and there is a lively discussion on how to meet increasingly aggressive quality goals. We have had great success in reducing rates of infection (a common concern in all hospitals) and are setting high standards in other areas. With insurance providers requiring hospitals to achieve certain quality standards for full reimbursement, we are confident that the clinical team at NARH is more than up to the task.
Support our employees. Without our clinical and administrative staff, there is no hospital. We have been so impressed by the continued dedication of our employees to their jobs — even as there have been major changes in the way we operate. We know that they share our commitment to the community we serve, and we are doing everything we can to assure that NARH remains a place that attracts and retains high quality staff.
Build a strong physician community. From emergency room physicians and general surgeons to primary care doctors and hospitalists, the physicians associated with NARH play a critical role in our future. With Dr. Jonathan Cluett playing an expanded role as medical staff liaison, we are working harder than ever before to engage physicians in planning for the future.
Though it is unclear what impact the solution to the federal debt crisis will have on the average American, the board of NARH is very clear on what we have to accomplish in the future. Any and every decision we make must improve the lives of local residents, our employees and the community. Though the path may not always be clear, you can be certain we are all working together to achieve that goal.
Dr. Arthur Turton is chairman of the board of trustees of Northern Berkshire Healthcare, parent company of North Adams Regional Hospital. The health-care system serves the Northern Berkshires and parts of Southern Vermont, and is a major employer in the area. It recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure its debt.
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