St. Clare’s maternity got closed, why not Bellevue?
As a retired Registered Nurse who spent 19 years in the delivery room and 15 years in the operating room at St. Clare’s Hospital, and having attended several meetings, we were assured that the mandates from the Berger commission to merge Ellis and St. Clare’s, and to close Bellevue, would be carried out. Now, blaming the economy, Ellis may keep Bellevue open as the women’s health care center. At one public meeting, a speaker from the podium admitted that politics were keeping Bellevue open until the merger was completed. However, St. Clare’s had enough patient rooms, complete newborn nurseries and birthing rooms to accommodate births; and if not yet destroyed, they remain. The residents of the Capital Region will be ill served if all three buildings are kept open. To assure complete health care, buildings should be geographically close to each other. The merger is done, and I urge the state Health Department to insist that the Berger Commission mandates be carried out, and Bellevue closed
Ellis Hospital to become Ellis Medicine; new emergency department, Bellevue expansion, Saratoga County facility planned Tuesday, September 15, 2009 By Michael Lamendola (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Ellis Hospital has renamed itself Ellis Medicine to reflect its new mission and it has filed applications with the state to build a new emergency department on its Nott Street campus, to renovate and expand the former Bellevue Woman's Hospital and to build a satellite emergency department in southern Saratoga County. It is all part of Ellis' new strategic plan................>>>>.................>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/sep/15/0915_ellis/
SCHENECTADY Ellis growth plan at $78M ER, Bellevue, McClellan sites to get upgrades, new roles BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Ellis Hospital plans to invest $78 million to build a new emergency department on its Nott Street campus, renovate and expand the former Bellevue Woman’s Hospital and build a satellite emergency department in southern Saratoga County as part of its evolution into a regional medical provider, officials announced Tuesday. Ellis will pay for the projects through state grants, donations, by borrowing and through income from services, said Ellis Medicine President and CEO James W. Connolly. Connolly said the changes reflect the medical system’s new strategic plan as submitted to the state Department of Health, which has to approve three certificates of need. “These plans signal that we’re entering a new, innovative phase of our evolu-..................>>>>..............>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....800&ViewMode=GIF
Free clinic should partner with Ellis and Hometown Health
Health care is no question the hot topic of the day, and as Washington politicians debate the global approach, our elected officials cannot forget the needs of vital programs such as the Schenectady Free Clinic and especially Hometown Health Centers. As the Gazette appropriately pointed out in its editorial Sept. 23, the free clinic needs help, but I feel it did not go far enough in its call to provide health care for Schenectady’s neediest. What is far enough? The answer is no different than what we who are running our own businesses do or what we are expecting and demanding of government — cooperation, consolidation and maximizing efficiencies to deliver the best service possible at the best price. In Schenectady, we have Hometown Health Centers (HHC), a federally qualified state-of-the-art medical facility that sits in the heart of Schenectady’s neediest community and has over 50,000 underinsured and uninsured patient visits every year. The federal government only funds a small portion of what is needed to keep the doors open at HHC. If the doors closed, it would be a medical nightmare in term of emergency and primary care for Ellis Hospital if those 50,000 visits ended up at Ellis. While the Schenectady Free Clinic has approximately 6,000 patient visits per year, and is fueled by the generosity of local doctors donating their time and expertise, it’s time an incentive was offered for a partnership that accomplishes the mission of both critical community services. The collaboration should be done with the input of Ellis; a comprehensive Schenectady health plan should be put in place to ensure the free clinic and HHC services are delivered, and Ellis never gets blindsided as a result of closure of the other two. Recent reports indicate the greatest need for HHC would be to retire its debt for the new facility that would alleviate over $350,000 in mortgage payments every year. With over $800 billion in stimulus money, there must be a way that our senators and Rep. Paul Tonko could provide the funds to pay off the building and create a partnership of the two agencies. As politicians claim they are looking out for the underserved in our community and want everyone to have access to decent health care, I present the perfect opportunity to fulfill their promises. The benefits are obvious — continued health care for the underserved, a proactive approach to avoid a disaster at Ellis, job preservation and possible growth for the HHC, which also has a budget in excess of $20 million that gets spent in our state and community and benefits other local companies. Band-Aid fixes will eventually not be enough. Help is needed now where it’s needed most.
Although it sounds great on paper and in theory, where is Ellis going to get the monies that these other 2 places cant get. Unless P.G. thinks that Ellis will have a larger negotiating block for more tax dollars?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Although it sounds great on paper and in theory, where is Ellis going to get the monies that these other 2 places cant get. Unless P.G. thinks that Ellis will have a larger negotiating block for more tax dollars?
The government in a 'round-about' way......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Stimulus money? OMG! Hasn't Peter heard that Sue "THE" Savage wasted every penny of it trying to balance her cooked books?
The Berger Commission said close Bellevue-close St Claires -reduce the size of the County Home and the KRATS heard Ellis takeover Bellevue-Ellis takeover St Claires-build an expensive new home. They refuse to listen to anyone and the taxpayers are going to be slammed next year. By the way in Albany County plans for a new home have been trashed-they can't afford it in a recession. But we can?
SCHENECTADY Ellis takes wraps off new medical home BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Ellis Medicine on Thursday unveiled a medical home concept at the former St. Clare’s Hospital that will provide comprehensive primary and wellness care to the community, including those with little or no insurance, hospital officials said. “We have created this infrastructure that will create great things,” said James Connolly, chief executive officer and president of Ellis Medicine. The medical home concept brings together in one location the Ellis Family Health Center, its Pediatric Health Center and its Dental Health Center as well as outpatient services, such as child and adolescent mental health, diabetes education, imaging, laboratory and emergency services. The medical home will employ speciallytrained nurses, called health services navigators, who will connect patients to medical care and social services. The navigators, for example, will help eligible patients enroll in health insurance programs. Ellis has been developing the medical home for more than a year. The medical home has been seeing patients throughout the process. Thursday’s unveiling was ceremonial. Ellis used a $5 million grant from the state to renovate the former Catholic hospital into the medical home and a $1 million grant obtained by state Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, to purchase software for an electronic medical records system. The system will link Ellis physicians, clinics and departments, allowing providers to instantly access a patient’s medical record. The system will help prevent mistakes and avoid duplication of medical services. Connolly said one of the significant fea- tures of the medical home is its connections to several community agencies such as the City Mission. Representatives of the agencies will be on the medical home campus or in communication with the medical home, he said. To connect with people with little or no insurance, Ellis is operating a shuttle that stops at seven locations in the city, such as the Salvation Army, and brings people to the medical home. “Transportation is a barrier to community members getting health care,” said Patti Hammond, vice president of operations for Ellis Medicine. “The shuttle gets them here,” she said. Ellis provides them with bus tokens so they can return home. Mark Chrastil is one of the people who uses the shuttle. Chrastil has lived at the City Mission since losing his job and apartment last summer. He also lost his health insurance at the time. ..................>>>>.......................>>>>.........................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01101&AppName=1
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Sean Ahern 11/12/09 Ellis Medicine unveiled its new primary care and preventive medicine program at Ellis Health Center, 600 McClellan St., Schenectady, on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m.
The Medical Home will provide care to those in the city of Schenectady that are under insured, uninsured, and do not have primary health services; providing help to families and community members in the area.
"Our responsibility is to reach out to our community," said Registered Nurse and Health Service Manager Margaret Roger-Meagher. "In particular to that population that lack primary care services."
The Medical Home will provide help through a variety of programs including primary health care, pediatric, family care, dental care,an imaging center and an adolescent mental health care system to create a "one stop shopping" situation for services, according to Roger-Meagher.
"I have been so impressed by all the help of our community members," said VP of Operations of Ellis Medicine Patti Hammond. "Everyone stepped up to the plate and asked how they can help."
Community programs, including the Salvation Army and the YMCA/YWCA, will be involved in helping to get those who need help into the Medical Home for assistance. A shuttle to and from Ellis Hospital will bring those in need of care from seven different locations across the city and the medical home will provide a token to return the patients to their location of choice.
"It's a great assett to the community," said Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees for Ellis Medicine Chris Cioffi, "We have many people in our community who are disadvantaged, we're giving them a place to do everythging in one place." Cioffi stressed the quality of care associated with the home and that members of the community now need access to that care and that the medical home will help the community in that way. "The Ellis Medicine board is proud of our work today and we look forward to our work in the future," she said.
"We are proud of the medical home, and we are proud of Ellis Medicine for their work," said City of Schenectady Mission Executive Director Micheal Saccocio. "Its really spreading into the streets and inspiring people to have a healthy lifestyle."
Local programs including Bethesda House, SCAAP, Hometown Health and the City Mission of Schenectady will provide assistance to their community members through the home. For example, a SCAAP representative will be on hand full time at Ellis Hospital to help with those who need their services.
Other speakers at the event included Assemblymen Jim Tedisco, who talked about his own experiences with the work at the former St. Claire location, and Mayor of the city of Schenectady Brian Stratton who was thankful of the work by the men and women of Ellis Hospital and the use of the medical home.
Ellis used a $5 million grant from the state to renovate the former Catholic hospital into the medical home and a $1 million grant obtained by state Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, to purchase software for an electronic medical records system. The system will link Ellis physicians, clinics and departments, allowing providers to instantly access a patient’s medical record. The system will help prevent mistakes and avoid duplication of medical services.
$6M in state grants for facilities renovations and upgrades. Neither news story addresses the source of funding for continuing operations, including staff compensation (salaries and benefits), utilities, transportation, facilities maintenance, etc.
Go back to the article posted in the initial post to this thread on page 1. Many interesting statements and positions were provided therein, including:
Quoted Text
Ellis expects to lose money providing care to this vulnerable population, Connolly said, but the hospital will seek to maximize income by reducing redundant services and through other cost-cutting measures, which he did not specify.
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Stimulus money? OMG! Hasn't Peter heard that Sue "THE" Savage wasted every penny of it trying to balance her cooked books? 
