Lourdes Health Network: Maintaining high quality while expanding services

The world of healthcare has changed dramatically over the past few years. And, as we embark on a new calendar year, the healthcare landscape in our own community has not been an exception.

Ascension Health (Lourdes’ current parent company) implemented a strategic model designed toward regional, clinically integrated systems of care. Due to our size and location, this is not an optimal path for our ministry. As a result, a coordinated effort was made to find a new parent organization for Lourdes.

Subsequently, Ascension Health and RCCH Healthcare Partners signed a definitive agreement for RCCH’s acquisition of Lourdes Health.

The application for the transaction was submitted to the state and, after a very thorough exchange of information, the Washington State Department of Health declared the application officially complete in February of this year.

The reported timeline for the state’s review of the application and a decision is estimated to be five months or less.

I’m confident that joining RCCH will give Lourdes the ability to serve our community well into the future. RCCH, has a strong presence in our region and works with communities to build strong local healthcare systems known for quality care.

I am proud to share that throughout this entire process, Lourdes’ leadership and associates have remained focused on maintaining and increasing access to quality healthcare. Our network is financially healthy and we will continue to reinvest in needed services, state-of-the- art technology and the expansion of our physician network.

We’ve expanded services at Lourdes Medical Center campus to include a second Urology Clinic, Cardiology Services and, coming this summer, Rheumatology Services.

At Lourdes Counseling Center in Richland, we’ve added two new psychiatrists and an additional Psychiatric ARNP to serve an increasing need. These additions have enabled us to create a Medication-Assisted Treatment Program that combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders to help address the growing opioid crisis.

In the coming year, we plan to complete the integration of our behavioral health and family practice clinics. This will create seamless coordination of vital services relating to medical and behavioral healthcare issues.

Just expanding services doesn’t mean much without quality of care.

In 2017, Lourdes Health was the only hospital in Washington State named among the top 5 percent in the nation for patient safety by Healthgrades. This was our third consecutive year to earn the Patient SafetyExcellence Award. The distinction places us among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation in the prevention of serious, potentially preventable complications during hospital stays.

We received additional national recognition for Lourdes Joint & Spine Center from Healthgrades this year:

America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery Award. The award recognizes hospitals for superior outcomes in back and neck surgery, spinal fusion, hip fracture treatment, hip replacement, and total knee replacement. Patients who have these treatments or surgeries at these nationally recognized hospitals have a lower risk of experiencing complications during their stay.

And in 2018, for the third consecutive year, Lourdes received the Joint Replacement Excellence Award, which recognizes hospitals for superior outcomes in knee and hip replacement.

In this continuously changing healthcare landscape, our community can count on one thing to remain constant. For over a century,Lourdes has had a singular mission: We are an extension of the healing ministry of Jesus. We respond to the healthcare needs of our community with compassion and a Christian spirit. These values will remain at the core of every decision we make in 2018 and beyond.

This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Lourdes Health Network: Maintaining high quality while expanding services."