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Business & Tech

Medical Giant To Manage Dominican Hospital Emergency Room

Santa Cruz Emergency Physicians Medical Group comes to end after 20 years running department, but could mean shorter wait times for emergency patients.

California Emergency Physicians Medical Group (CEP), based in Emeryville announced Friday that it reached a deal earlier this month with to manage the local hospital's Emergency Department beginning on New Year's Day.

The 12 doctors and other staff currently employed by Santa Cruz Emergency Physicians Medical Group—which has run the department since 1992—will continue running operations under the management of the much larger group, according to CEP Spokesperson Eric Jost. But some changes to their ways are in the works as CEP makes “suggestions” to increase efficiency at the more than 100 hospitals they manage.

“At this point the doctors and staff will [remain] the same,” Jost said. “I don't believe the walk through has happened yet, but it will be done on or before the Jan. 1 start date.”

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Dominican Hospital treats more than 40,000 patients every year, and the CEP's suggested changes could extend to all departments including radiology, and intensive care.

Patients can expect shorter wait times after the management shift. CEP run hospitals 36 minute average—almost twice as fast national average—by putting doctors in closer communication with patients in the waiting room to prioritize situations. They claim this method, which they call Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME) allows more patients to be seen and increases profits for the hospital.

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California Nurses Association member Lorna Grundeman is not convinced that quicker care is always better care. She says if patients return for the same treatments it costs hospitals more than they gain by quickly treating more patients

“A lot of this is based on industrial models. There are consultants the hospitals employ to get patients through more quickly,” said Grundeman. “If patients return repeatedly with the same ailment the hospital wont be reimbursed by medicare or private insurance.”

Jost would not reveal financial details of the takeover agreement with SCEPMG.

Dominican officials said they were pleased with the move.

"Dominican has high regard for the dedication and clinical skills of the doctors in Santa Cruz Emergency Physicians Medical Group and we look forward to furthering our relationships with those who became partners with CEP, said President Nan Mickiewicz, in a prepared statement.

"We recognize that change is difficult but Dominican is committed to delivering emergency care that meets the expectations of 41,000 community members a year who say they want prompt, compassionate, patient-centered treatment. Dominican is further committed to delivering emergency care that is judged by government and consumer agencies as meeting the highest standards of quality.

 "As part of due diligence to guarantee the hospital is best meeting the community’s needs, Dominican earlier this year began issuing a request for proposals (RFP) from physician groups. The administration and our community board are results-motivated in our decision making processes. With the same commitment to financial stewardship, patient satisfaction and quality care, Dominican will be looking at additional contractual arrangements with outside providers going forward."

Matt Hendrickson of Physicians For A National Health Plan says that CEP is known for more flexibility than other “mega groups” but that overall the concentration of the medical industry is becoming a large threat to access and affordability. He also says that local medical groups are much more responsive to the wishes of patients and less likely to rush things and make mistakes.

CEP now runs more than 25 percent of all emergency rooms in California and is the third largest emergency physician group in the nation.

He says that having management by large corporations dehumanizes the entire process of caring for people and increases motives for profit:

“When you are closely connected with your community...having to rush them through when you are the one treating them isn't as appealing than if you are in a corporate office hundreds of miles away.”

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