"Our hospital is continuing to grow, but even more important, we are getting better and better," said Columbia Memorial Hospital CEO Jane Ehrlich.
"Our quality of care indicators which are documented by the federal government demonstrate that we are at 100% with regard to our treatment of heart attack, congestive heart failure, and post-operative surgical patient care. In fact, our surgical site infection rate is 0.3% which is far below the national average. In addition our patient safety program has enabled us to reduce serious safety events by 80% over the past two years. The fact that both our entire hospital staff and our entire medical staff have undertaken education in patient safety techniques is paying huge dividends for our patients," she said.
Expansion of facilities and services
In order to provide greater access to the community for essential and urgent care, Columbia Memorial will be opening an urgent care center later this year. It is also developing space in the Medical Office Building for a new pain management specialist, Dr. Ronny Kaffiludi, who will join Dr. Tomasz Andrejuk. Both completed anesthesia residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston. Each pursued different pain management fellowships. Given their different training, they both bring a wide variety of pain management techniques and skills enabling Columbia Memorial to offer a comprehensive pain management program.
The hospital has also recruited a new pediatrician who will join in May; a new internist who will arrive in June, and an obstetrician as well as an endocrinologist and a pulmonologist/critical care specialist, all joining the hospital in August.
Twin County Cardiology, with offices in Catskill and Hudson, has also joined the Columbia Memorial Family of specialty practices as has Greene Medical Imaging in Jefferson Heights in Catskill.
Columbia Memorial is also expanding the Emergency Department, to handle increased patient volume.
"We are adding space for treating psychiatric patients. The space will be tailored to their specific needs and in turn will free up space within the existing Emergency Department for our medical surgical patients. This project is scheduled to be completed in June," said Ehrlich.
Economic engine
Columbia Memorial has become the engine of the local economy, pumping in more than $193,442,000 annually, according to figures compiled by the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the hospital.
Columbia Memorial increases commerce through the thousands of people it employs, the purchase of supplies, and the hiring of local contractors. In addition, employees spend their salaries and pay state and local sales taxes, further impacting the economy.
This is in addition to the positive impact the hospital has providing expert medicine for the whole family in Greene, Columbia and Northern Dutchess counties: birthing babies, caring for those with medical or surgical needs, promoting healthy lifestyles, addressing emergencies, and providing end-of-life care and comfort.
"The hospital treats more than 34,000 patients in our emergency department every year, delivers 500 babies, and provides more than 180,000 physician office visits. Our annual operating budget is over $130,000,000 and we employ more than 1,400 individuals who reside in our area," said CEO Jane Ehrlich. The hospital has more than 200 physicians on staff.
"We've invested more than $60 million in new facilities and equipment in the last ten years including new surgical instrumentation, patient information systems, and medical imaging technologies," she said. The hospital provides more than $8,000,000 in free care every year to those in need.
Construction projects to improve healthcare delivery currently underway (refurbishing the 5th and 6th floors of the hospital) total approximately $4.5 million dollars.
