By VICKI URBANIK
Beginning in January, Porter Memorial Health System will offer patients an
advocate who will work on their behalf to resolve whatever problems may
arise, such as billing concerns or questions about their care.
PMHS has created a “patient advocate” position that will be filled by Janet
Pakish of Jackson Township, a 27-year veteran of PMH. Pakish currently
serves as administrative assistant to PMHS President and CEO Ron Winger, and
has served in that post for Winger’s predecessors as well.
At a briefing with reporters prior to the public meeting Wednesday, Winger
said he’s used to having such patient advocates at his previous places of
employment, but that PMH has never had such a position before.
“We are being progressive here,” he said.
Winger said the new position should make it much more convenient for
patients and their families to resolve concerns, since Pakish will take
their concerns to the appropriate hospital department for a response.
Currently, he said people with problems often are “bounced around” from
department to department as they try to resolve their problem.
Winger added that Pakish is perfect for the post, because by virtue of her
current position, she already takes numerous calls from people who need help
or seeking information. “Those calls by default come to her,” he said.
The new position is featured in the most recent issue of PMHS’ magazine,
Stay Healthy. As the article notes, the patient advocate office will be
located on the first floor of PMH near the lobby.
In another sign of the changing times, the PMH Board approved the
appointment of a new certified nurse midwife at Portage Community Hospital.
Though the matter fell under the somewhat routine part of the board meeting
during which new appointments and staff privileges are made, the approval is
noteworthy in that the new midwife, registered nurse Kathy Hanson, is now
only the second midwife to work at PMHS.
“I think over time, it’s going to change,” Winger said of the emerging
acceptance of midwifery as an option for pregnant women.
Also Wednesday, PMHS announced that a new laparoscopic technique is now
available for urology patients at PMH through Dr. Mark Dabagia, who recently
joined the PMHS medical staff. He is the only physician in Northwest Indiana
who performs the minimally invasive procedure known as laparascopic
nephrectomy.
The procedure will allow patients who need urological surgery, such as
bladder surgery, removal of the adrenal gland or kidney removal, to undergo
the procedure by having only a few small incisions, compared to an invasive
surgery that can often involve an incision as large as 12 inches.
Laparoscopy has long been used for general surgery, but has only recently
become an option for urological surgeries, states a PMHS press release.
Also at Wednesday’s media briefing and board meeting, PMHS officials took
note that they do not have a monthly financial report to present as usual,
since the financial staff has been involved in a major audit of the health
system.
PMHS has opted to take advantage of a change in the state law allowing
public hospitals to hire a private auditor, rather than have the State Board
of Accounts scour their books. PMHS has hired Deloitte & Touche for its
annual audit, at an estimated cost of $60,000, but has also hired Ernst and
Young to help prepare its records for the audit. Winger noted that two of
the largest accounting firms in the country are now auditing PMHS.
PMHS Chief Financial Officer Gary Chawk said the difference between a state
audit and a private audit is that the state has focused on whether PMHS was
in compliance with state procedures and policies. The Deloitte & Touche
audit is expected to be much more comprehensive, looking at accounting
practices from a risk-based standpoint, he said.
Typically, the December PMH Board meeting also includes approval of the
budget for the following year. The 2003 budget, along with a rate increase,
will be presented in January.
Winger confirmed that PMH is considering a small rate hike but that the
numbers aren’t yet finalized.
Posted 12/19/2002
