The Health of Local Health Care:
National and local challenges
By Clark Jones, Administrator
Cascade Valley Hospital and Clinics
It is no secret; health care in the United States is in crisis. Problems with the national health care system are many, however, some of the most severe are; the growing numbers of people without health insurance, the increasing difficulty of finding a physician, and a shortage of qualified health care workers. How are these affecting us on the local level? Cascade Valley Hospital and Clinics (CVHC) are dealing with the same issues the industry faces nationally.
Health Insurance Coverage
Health insurance became the norm after WWII and historically employers paid the premiums. This traditional model is becoming less and less a reality. Premiums have become so expensive; employers no longer shoulder the burden. Large employers are increasingly passing a portion of the premium on to their employees, and many smaller employers are no longer able to offer health care coverage at all. The result is an increasing number of uninsured. In Washington State, the problem is even greater since the Medicaid program, which provides health care coverage to low-income persons, eliminated many of its programs. Add the high unemployment in Snohomish County over the past several years and the problem gets even larger. The numbers of uninsured patients receiving care at Cascade Valley Hospital was 4,421 in 2003, up from 3,370 in 2001. The amount of charity care provided by the hospital in 2003 was $525,252, up from $322,701 in 2001. Charity care totals are the costs of free or discounted services provided to individuals unable to pay because of poverty, inadequate insurance, or care provided beyond their financial ability. Providing health care for patients who have no means to pay is putting a great financial burden on CVHC and the health care system, as a whole.
Physician Scarcity
Finding a physician in Snohomish County is becoming increasingly difficult. This is particularly true for the uninsured and those on Medicaid. Many physicians are no longer seeing Medicaid patients because of extremely low payments for services. They are likewise closing their practices to those without medical insurance. Adding to the problem of physician availability is the issue of rapidly increasing malpractice premiums. This is especially a problem for Washington State. A number of physicians have moved to states where premiums are more affordable. CVHC premiums increased form $467,202 in 2001 to $771,580 in 2003. When faced with not being able to see a doctor in their clinic, many resort to using hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency treatment. At Cascade Valley Hospital, visits to the emergency room have increased 25% since 2000.
Staffing Shortages
Another nation-wide problem affecting CVHC is a shortage of qualified health care workers, particularly Registered Nurses, Pharmacists and Imaging Technologists. Because we baby boomers are aging, the need for these workers is going to increase dramatically over the next two decades. But too few high school graduates are choosing these professions. When they do choose a health care career they find colleges in Washington State have not been able to fund programs to the level of need. (One local college accepts 20 new general Radiology students each year and has over 350 applicants.) In addition, the current workforce is nearing retirement age. The average Registered Nurse at Cascade Valley Hospital is in their mid forties.
Pressures on the health care system locally, and in the United States, are severe. There don't appear to be any easy answers. A complete overhaul of the national health care system is needed. It won't be an easy task or one politicians are enthusiastic to tackle
In spite of these pressures, Cascade Valley Hospital and Clinics has been successful in continuing to provide high quality health care to the community. As we work with local and national groups trying to resolve some of these problems, we strive to be your choice when you need health care.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It should not replace a visit with your health care professional. Call your doctor if you need more information or have additional questions.