The message below was posted on PRMC's facebook page.
When Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s Transitional Care Unit (TCU) was opened in 1997, it was created to help fill a growing need for sub-acute services in the Salisbury community. Sixteen years ago, patients who required sub-acute rehabilitation were being delayed in their recovery due to the hospital not being able to find suitable places for those patients to go upon discharge.
However, factors such as the changing healthcare delivery model, advances in care, and practice patterns, especially in orthopaedics, mean that many patients no longer require inpatient hospital rehabilitation and can instead go home with the assistance of outpatient services. These factors, along with declining lengths of stay and an increase of rehabilitation options in the community, such as the opening of HealthSouth Chesapeake Rehab Hospital and expansion of Genesis Salisbury Nursing and Rehab Center, have led Peninsula Regional Medical Center to a decision to close its transitional care unit (TCU) beginning today.
“During its tenure the TCU and its team have provided exceptional service, but the unit has achieved its goal and a duplication of these types of services is no longer necessary. This is a trend occurring across the nation as the need for in-hospital, sub-acute care is diminishing,” said Christopher Hall, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for PRMC.
The 30-bed, non-acute unit, located on the third floor of the Medical Center, is operated with joint venture partner Genesis Healthcare and cares for a limited number of patients who require non-acute, skilled medical services. These services are provided at numerous centers in and around the local community.
The TCU will stop accepting patients today and continue to work with patients, families for a smooth transition to alternate care. The unit will permanently close following the discharge of its final remaining patient.
“As healthcare is continuing to change, we must continue to adapt. That means evaluating all services we offer inside the hospital walls, as well as the services offered elsewhere in our community, and removing the duplication,” added Hall. “Currently there is an acute rehabilitation hospital and many excellent skilled nursing homes within the community, allowing patients to stay close to families, creating a diminishing need for hospital-based sub-acute care. Given the existing quality community facilities, and our partnership with Genesis Healthcare, it was a logical decision for these patients to be cared for in the most appropriate setting.”
Approximately 43 employees will be affected by these changes. PRMC will work with these individuals to try to find them other positions within the health system or with other skilled nursing facilities in our area.
70 comments:
You can thank Obamacare and the sequester for what has happened. All hospitals in Maryland are really struggling and will be cutting back tremendously over the next year.
It's what people voted for.. they just didn't realize what most of us knew that this was going to be disaster
the hospital will survive but its mission will change somewhat and become leaner and focused on what should be cared for here on the shore.
No hospital in Maryland is going to close, but layoffs are indeed imminent.
Start with cutting salaries at the top, not the bottom or middle. It's the middle and bottom layers that provide the health care that is needed. The top are just a bunch of pencil pushers.
That just means that the CEO will get more money. They should slash her salary.
I have proof that the PRMC was warned 12 months ago about sequester and Obamacare, and they did nothing at the time. Hell, they even said Congress would never let sequester go through and that Washington would save them. But just keep paying Peggy he bloated salary with bonus
Yup - most folks in the medical field voted for this on the party line.....
The real question now is....is it too late for them to wake up and help the rest of us correct the error of our collective ways.....
So where are those patients who need transitional care going to go? It's so much easier to transfer them from a regular hospital room to the TCU for the therapy to get stronger to go home on their own than to have them transferred to a nursing home with all that red tape.
There will be no help coming. The exact same thing is already happening to businesses just bairly making it today. The added employee health care expense will sink their ship for good.....to the tune of thousands of businesses all across America. Ask any CPA, they'll tell you the truth. Bankrupting businesses is not just the result of obomacare, but was and is the origonal intent from a foreign muslim who intended to bankrupt and collapse the economy of the United States of America, even prior to being elected. He has three more years to succeed and he will. The word obama is a foreign word, nothing about it is American, neither is the direction that it's taken our country.
Trust me ...Patients need to leave hospital and go home to avoid the sub mediocre care on TCU and to get away from the infections running wild such as CDiff and Mrsa Home are services are becoming the thing of the present...
Cutting the fat.
anon 12:06 you are completely right - get patients home especially with low level rehab needs it is wasted money to allow these patient weeks and rehab. They will rehab much better in their homes and avoid the risk of infections!
To both the "Anonymous" people above who said ......
Trust me ...Patients need to leave hospital and go home to avoid the sub mediocre care on TCU and to get away from the infections running wild such as CDiff and Mrsa Home are services are becoming the thing of the present...
and ...... "cutting the fat" comments.
My wife is one of the ones laid off. Be careful placing "blanket" statements like that. My wife has been a long term dedicated employee who has put in many hours and tears into her job. Medicore is not in her vocabulary and I'm sure she went above and beyond for every single one of her patients. She loved doing what she did and made a difference in peoples lives. Today, they walked in and said YOU'RE DONE.
I get it ......it's business but geesh....these poor people. Not sure what we will do. Nice notice PRMC, thanks for the heads up of ..... 1 day.
They could cut almost 1 million by getting rid of Naleppa! She isn't worth $1000.00 let alone what they are paying her. She is doing to the hospital what Obama is doing to our country.
Way too many VP's and executive people at the top. That's where the money is going. Why not start with them and leave alone the pions that do the work and try to do a great job. What a disgrace the board and top "brass" have made of what use to be a great place! Don't blame Obama, cause the main problem is YOU!!!(by the way I can't stand Obama either)!
12:25PM.....tell your wife to be careful because PRMC has a history of blacklisting employees and screwing them over for other jobs. I bet when a possible future employer call PRMC to confirm your wife's employment, PRMC will be sure to tell them that she's not able to be rehired, and leave out the fact her Unit was eliminated, thus costing her any chance of getting hired.
TCU is full of dedicated employees. Most of whom have been there for many many years. All of the patients on TCU received exceptional care so much so that a lot of them came back for rehab time and time again. If you've never worked on TCU or been a patient you have no idea what you are talking about. TCU never got the recognition from the hospital that it deserved.
Not everyone has a family to take care of them those extra days were helpful and better than nursing home smelly place that needs bulldozing .
This is the democrats and Obama's baby so deal with it.If it was such a good deal,they will run on it next year.
Don't let anybody tell you different. These cuts in employment, not just at PRMC, but elsewhere are because of Obamacare. You were warned years ago that this legislation was going to be the biggest job killer our Country has ever seen. Well, unless some Republicans with balls stands up to defeat the financing of Obamacare, more and more people will loose their jobs. Have not you people seen enough of this liberal idiot.
Please put this at the top of your page. People being told today your job is cut..many of them in the hallways crying. The sad part is how long ago was this decision made and you inform people the day it goes in effect? Itwas on WBOC website immediately..so when were they given the press release? Cut from the top!
Traditionally Transitional Care Units are big money makers for hospitals so something else is going on here. It may have to do with Obamacare or it may have to do with declining revenues. Even the reference to Healthsouth Chesapeake Rehab - that hospital has been here for a long time - in fact one of the reason PRMC opened its units was to compete with Chesapeake. Either way it is a very sad day for the community and the employees who ran that expectational unit.
The Board of Directors are primarily responsible for the satisfactory operation of the corporation. Where were they when these problems began? Was it collusion, ignorance or just plain bad judgment?
1:50 One of the big guys at WBOC has inside info. His Mother works at PRMC.
PRMC's statement is only partially true. Those 30 sub-acute beds were originally obtained and owned by the county owned Wicomico Nursing Home. The county had bonded the funds to do a large addition(52)beds to the nursing home and develop an Alzheimer wing. However, the Big Black Bear i.e. PRMC decided they wanted to go into the "sub-acute" business because big money could be made by reimbursement. The president of PRMC's board and a county council person at the time were involved in the deal. I'm sure now their decision to close those beds is due to a reimbursement reduction. It's all about MONEY.
The unit is not necessary, other care facilities have opened in the area and have deluted the need for such care in this marketplace. This is not some sinister plan, it's business.
Maybe what is going on is that PRMC keeps expanding and buying satellite operations. Maybe what is going on is that should take care of their home base and the staff there before they expand in to Delaware and other places on the Shore. Maybe what is going on is the people at the top are just too greedy to understand the consequences of their actions. Maybe now they got lucky and it can be blamed on Obama when in reality it has been caused by continued poor decision making at the top....just maybe!
Wonder how much money Salisbury University is paying Napella to teach part time there?
Funny how some here acuse PRMC of greed. It's just business, the capitalist way.
Sounds like BS to me. The last couple of times that my relative has wanted to transition to home through the PRMC unit we have been told that the beds are full. that was very recently, so are they or aren't they?
3:13 What is she teaching ...."The Toyoto Way" She needs to read it and follow it before she expects staff to read and sit through such BS that's never gonna happen!
12:25 - Perdue did the same thing with their IT department a couple of years ago....all the while telling their folks no headcount reductions - then pooooof!
This has affected me personally, I work (ed) on TCU and I know the care there was exceptional. Teamwork was also exceptional. Too many people today were left high and dry with no job, they could have handled this situation better. SOME nurses were offered other positions but not all, ALL LPN's were fires and no offers for any of the CNA's. We were blindsided. This is just not the way you should treat people for their service and dedication. If it must close, then so be it, but it didn't have to happen in this callous way. So much for compassion.
Is there ever a "nice" way to fire someone? I think not.
Lets face it "health Care " is no longer a benifit to the communities and its citicens.It is frankly become just another business.Lets put terms into language the current management of PRMC understands.In many ways health care has become big business through out the country.No longer do they ethicly serve,no longer is their commodity the loving care and understanding of a nurse who sits with a patient though the long hours of death when no family is there. Nor is it the passion of making sure each patient recieves the same standard of care. No longer is it Holding a frightened child to comfort them as they are take from their parent for surgery. Perhaps your more familiar with the nurse who provided comforted and reasurrence to family members as well as the patient themself durring a horrific ,traumatic experience. As a PRMC nurse I would like to say I am sorry this "commodity" is no longer available .Your currency has been provided to the business mongers of PRMC, not the TRUE providers of your health care.
Oh paalease 4:41, cry me a river and boohoo. Get a grip.
43 Employees in TCU were hit today. The rest of the hospital were told that this is the being. There will be more. Over the next couple of weeks over 100 positions/employees are need to be cut. The hospital does not need high paid VP/President. At the end of the day who will there be to VP/President over?
The infections are brought to TCU not acquired on TCU. I think you need to check your facts
Not necessary? Let us know how you feel when you or a loved one needs rehabilitation after a major heart surgery, chemotherapy or. Joint replacement and you are sent to a dirty nursing home. Or how about this when you get laid off and the world seems to know about it before you do.
I couldn't tell you how many times a "big wig" at prmc demanded that we find a bed on TCU for one of their family members and demanded special treatment for that patient. And a private room at that so double rooms had to be used for isolation patients. Funny how TCU was good enough then. The patients weren't even appropriate but the unit was forced to take them anyway to avoid making any "big waves". Some of you just have no clue how shady and political that place really is.
Anonymous 4:41
Well said! Many in the health care field enter the noble profession because they do honestly care about their patients and treat them “as if they are your most beloved relative”. There are many people like this in every hospital, including PRMC that have these pure qualities. I have seen it and I am aware of many at the hospital that will do all they can to help their patients. There will be opportunities to apply this personal gift of caring, of course, in all of the serious situations you have described in your narrative. Sometimes it is as simple as taking the hand of a scared child and helping to take the fear away. I have seen this myself. But unfortunately not every health care professional understands this. And when a patient is treated like they don’t matter it is a terrible injustice. Unfortunately this I have also seen. Not every medical condition can be cured by medical science. Sometimes it is God’s will and we need to accept this though it may be hard to understand. But providers can and should always uphold the highest standards possible.
Obviously the economics and business of a hospital are very important. No institution, not even one as large and as powerful as PRMC can exist without financial viability. How and where the money is spent is an important and topical discussion. But there is something else. We should always remember that each patient is a person. They are someone’s family member and they are dearly loved. They are at the hospital because they are hurting and they are usually scared. And they deserve compassion, respect and consideration from the health care professional. If the health care professional or institution does not understand this then they are in the wrong business.
Anonymous 4:41 it seems to me that you get it! And it seems to me that you are probably one of those special people that have the gift of caring and I want to take the opportunity to recognize you and all of the other compassionate health care professionals.Thank you for all you do!
The reality is that TCU and similar types of care are going to be obsolete--there is not going to be lengthy rehab and recovery because YOU AREN"T GOING TO LIVE TO BE TREATED. This is the beginning of rationed health care and only those "worthy" will get treatment. You bleeding heart liberals voted for Obama, EVEN THOUGH he boasted he was gong to "fundamentally change this country" WELL YOU ARE SEEING IT. Also--is Alan Newberry still on the payroll?
The reality is that TCU and similar types of care are going to be obsolete--there is not going to be lengthy rehab and recovery because YOU AREN"T GOING TO LIVE TO BE TREATED. This is the beginning of rationed health care and only those "worthy" will get treatment. You bleeding heart liberals voted for Obama, EVEN THOUGH he boasted he was gong to "fundamentally change this country" WELL YOU ARE SEEING IT. Also--is Alan Newberry still on the payroll?
This place is so messed up...speaking of which...hey Chris...make another move on my wife and you will never be able to ride that bike again.
so what's next to close?
Mental Health Unit,
Trauma Services?
No matter how we all feel about PRMC I am sure that we all agree that people losing their jobs and their livelihood is a horrible thing. A hospital is a business, but it is a place where people are born, people die, and live change forever. There are good staff- nurses, doctors, housekeeping, PT/OT, CNAs, Food and nutrition, clergy, Respiratory, Radiology, etc that go to work every day to serve our community, to care for the elderly- our mothers/fathers and they our respect. If you have had a bad experience I am personally sorry for this, but I believe that we give exceptional care and we have many loving and caring souls that work everyday to better our community. It may be a business to some, but to many it is a way of life, it is what we do. The community needs to rally behind those people that have lost their jobs and the ones that are still at risk. I agree with bits and pieces of many of these posts. It is very unfair to go to work and have no job at the end of the day. There are many reasons that PRMC is experiencing this loss in revenue. There is waste, yes Obama care (and I did not vote for him either election and neither did many of my co-workers even though one of the comments said the whole medical field voted for him), the federal government with sequestration, struggling economy, lower census, decreased reimbursement, I could go on and on... The fat does need to come off from the top- there are too many directors, VP, and upper level management but the bottom line is the hospital is here for the community and as a community we have to come together to survive this. People's lives are being changed and they have no control over what is happening and we need to support these people. There are dedicated caring people that are being trashed by the public and the hospital. We cannot control how things are going to happen but we can control our response and our actions when it does happen. Please think about the families and lives that are changing daily due to things outside of their control and pray that our community rallies around them in this difficult time.
word to the wise... dont go.to prmc for anything.
Today when we were all abruptly gathered to hear the news of TCU’s closing, we were told management would understand if we were unable to finish our work day. To my knowledge everyone did finish the day and will likely continue to work as scheduled until the doors officially close. This includes the many who heard they will no longer have a job in the next week or so to come and their benefits and many and their families will no longer have healthcare as of October 1st. I believe that is a testament of the devotion the employees on TCU had for their patients and their job. My thoughts go out to all those affected by this change as I believe the impact will be felt by the community as a whole and to those callous enough to believe people ought to just, “deal with it”.
8:01 which chris are you talking about?
8:47 the Chris I was talking to knows...so butt out.
I was on 3rd floor TCU---I can say I was never so glad to get back home in my life---Thank God I had friends to help me out while there!
Actually, a much better thing to start is to have more Health Care come to the Home. Most of the Physical Therapy I did ---I could do myself after being shown. It would be nice to have Health Care
come in to bath the person, change beds, help prepare a meal etc. until the person is up & going on their own. It would be Much cheaper for Ins. this way & much better for the Pt to be at home!
921... Grow up. If you can't list the full name then don't write it. Your wife probably likes "Chris" picking up on her. This has nothing to do with TCU and to be honest who cares about your wife and Chris. The focus is TCU and what happened today!!!
5:15--
Get back under your bridge, troll!!
Cath Lab
Close mental health- 90% of their patient's are no pays anyway. As for trauma services, a joke.The majority of the trauma's waste time at PRMC and then have to be shipped to real trauma hospitals in Baltimore. All they do is waste precious time at PRMC. If I am hurt I want the best care, not go to PRMC, only to have to wait for a doctor to come from home to look at me. Yes people, the trauma and orthopedic doc are not even in the hospital. They are on call. Not the case at Hopkins or Shock Trauma.
Does anyone have the answer to this question? Is there ANY health organization in this town that PRMC does not have their hands on? Even emergency centers are owned/run by PRMC. And the little guys who are offering services (like transport service) will be blacklisted if they don't tow the line and sing their praises. This still remains a small town but after the smoke clears people STILL hate a monopoly that tries to control everything going on in the area.
The bad press for prmc has been going on for months. We, the folks on the outside hear it described as a monopoly that pushes everyone out, and that includes many good doctors. The smell is bad, the complaints are many, and the board of directors seem to carry on without addressing the real issues. Flip you current message prmc to reality, in 5% of worst hospitals,
I'm sure you were one of those lazy patients who wanted everything done for you. A total bath, getting your butt wiped for you and clock watching your pain medicine down to the second. TCU stands for transitional care unit, meaning you make the transition from the hospital to home. You learn to do things for yourself so you're safe and cared for once home. Clearly you didn't understand the mission of TCU. Some people you just can't please and I'm sure you were one of them.
@1:29
I think you hit the nail on the head! AGREED!!!!
"Bairly" = barely. "original" = original. Glad you have a CPA....if your math is as bad as your spelling, you would be broke.
Health care is over inflated. Just look at the pharmaceutical industry. They make BIG bucks, wine and dine doctors on expensive trips. Just like how the housing crash took out the low end of the spectrum, the builders etc., the banks that were a big part of the problem got bail outs, still get big bonuses, and were virtually unaffected. No you are seeing it in the health care industry, the ones that have inflated the costs will go unaffected and the little guy/gal will be the one to pay the price. Look at all the banks that have sky boxes at sporting events...yeah, they really needed bailouts.
8:41...our lawmakers made sure that big pharmacy can't wine and dine or even give out pens anymore.
My take on this, is that with the other places this particular floor was not needed any longer.
Health care is changing everywhere not just in Salisbury.
@4:54
The "other" places were there when they decided to open this unit in 1997. It's corporate greed, plain and simple. None of the executives are giving up a thing. It's just to put more money in their pockets.
This announcement calls TCU a "non acute" unit. They used the unit for their needs and convienence. We transfused blood, inserted NG tubes, transfused fresh frozen plasma along with a list of many more procedures and treatments that are considered in the medical world to "treat acute processes"... all with a nurse to patient ratio of 1:10. Many times patients were unable to participate with therapy because they were too acutely ill. They used TCU BECAUSE we were located in the hospital, and many physicians wanted them there just for that reason. We were good enough to take on the big wigs "family" and "VIP's" from the community, and when we had them as patients we were NEVER working understaffed. Right now, they are feeding the public a lot of lip service but it was wrong to do it the way they did. So long!
I really feel it was unfair to wait till Fridays to tell the employees of TCU their jobs were no longer there! Some won't find other jobs!!! Why are so many going to school for nursing??? There will be no jobs!!!
If the hospital is down sizing and the CEO salary is based on the size of the hospital; will her salary decrease?
Nursing was talking about a union and surprise they got a 4% raise; how do those of you without jobs feel about that now?
How can you legally fire/layoff personnel on the spot; if staff has to give the hospital two weeks to thirty days notice depending on their job title then why can't the hospital do the same for the staff. What is the Maryland law for that?
I believe the hospital to be a good place. Am sorry to read all the disappointments from the staff and community.
Also hear tis true that 3-South will close and also Women's Health.
Anonymous Sept 6 @ 8:01. I wonder if your initials are MP? You have serious problem.
I was told more lay offs to come Friday!
The patients currently on TCU are very distraught over this. Many of them have complained and have showed their sympathy for the staff. Great job Peggy, customer service is supposed to be number one but let's have the patients currently on the floor trying to recover be stressed out over how their nurse, assistant and therapist are going to provide for their families. Also the CEO has been on the unit since Friday (she didn't have the balls to attend the meeting Friday she had her minions do it) to see if anyone had any questions/concerns. Really?! She's got some nerve how about you share the wealth or actually care about the well being of the patients and keep the unit open? Heartless.
I fear for employees at PRMC!!!! When they go to work they wonder if they will have a job or not!!! Is this the way to run a business? How can they give good care to their patients when they are so upset! My heart bleeds for them! So much for happy employees!!
Amen.... well said!!!!
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