Premier Health Announces Closure of Good Samaritan Hospital (closed in 2018)

Premier Health recently announced the difficult but necessary decision to phase out services and staff at Good Samaritan Hospital’s main campus on Philadelphia Drive and cease operations there toward the end of 2018.

The move is part of Premier Health’s 2020 strategic plan, which calls for a configuration of health care services that keeps pace with national health care policy and best serves a city that for decades has undergone significant economic transformation. Good Samaritan Hospital’s services will remain in Dayton, shifting to nearby Miami Valley Hospital, to maintain residents’ access to care, minimize disruptions for staff, and reaffirm Premier Health’s commitment to serve Dayton’s inner core.

“Good Samaritan Hospital has a special place in the hearts of countless Daytonians. So many of our friends and neighbors are better off thanks to the commitment of generations of physicians, clinical and support staff, and volunteers,” said Mary Boosalis, president and CEO of Premier Health. “While we know this is a tremendous change, it is necessary to ensure our long-term future to serve the community.”

The evolving national and local dynamics of health care have made operating two hospitals within five miles of each other unsustainable. National changes in the health care industry, compounded by the changing face of Dayton over the past decade, made clear that Premier Health had to make significant changes to continue serving the entire region and reaching patients in innovative ways in their communities for years to come. We are doing this now, from a position of strength, to give us better control in positioning services in our region to best serve our entire service area. If we had failed to act now, matters down the road would have been worse for the entire system.

The previously announced Phase 3 plan to expand Good Samaritan North Health Center (Miami Valley Hospital North as of July 23, 2018) will continue and be completed later this year. The health center and other Good Samaritan Hospital locations will remain operational and eventually become part of Miami Valley Hospital. Name changes will be necessary, as each location providing services needs to visibly indicate the main hospital location.

This is, of course, a complex and emotional time, and Premier Health has put together a team of physicians, nurses, administrators, and support staff to address areas such as staff, patient care, providers, general operations, community relations, redevelopment, and communications. Careful planning has been put in place to take care of patients, staff, providers, and the community.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will happen to patients?
Patients will be accommodated at the nearest appropriate Premier Health facility based on their medical needs during the final stages of the move.

What will happen to staff?
Premier Health’s goal is to ensure that each Good Samaritan Hospital employee is offered an opportunity to remain employed within the Premier Health system. The health system also plans to offer voluntary retirement and other transition programs.

What will happen to physicians and advance practice providers?

• PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS: All of our primary care physicians will see no changes in their status.
• SPECIALTY PHYSICIANS: All of our specialty physicians will be offered a position within the Premier Health system, but they might need to change locations and potentially shifts.
• HOSPITALISTS: All of our hospitalists will be offered a position within the Premier Health system, but might need to change their location and potentially shifts. We will know more as we work toward full implementation of the plan, and we will continue to keep everyone up to speed with what we know, when we know it. We are working to create as little disruption as possible.
• ADVANCED PRACTICE PRACTITIONERS: All of our advanced practice practitioners will have an offer within the Premier Health system.

What will happen to the Residency program housed at Five Rivers/Good Samaritan Hospital?
We are planning to accommodate inpatient teaching at our other Premier Health locations.

Is there sufficient capacity in our emergency departments to take care of patients?
Based on the current and peak volume analysis, there is sufficient capacity at our sites to take care of all patients currently being served at Good Samaritan Hospital’s Philadelphia Drive campus.

Why have you asked us to sign non-competes now?
Premier Health’s strategic plan calls for practice transformation efforts that are key to our success. Accelerating the practice transformation compensation plan allows physicians to more fully focus on key objectives such as growth, access, and referral management. In addition, the practice transformation compensation model can help protect from downside risks associated with payors and market fluctuations. Our goal is to partner with you and we ask that you consider this new model. Non-competes are now standard in the region and as we are amending contracts we are also updating our non-compete language.

How can I practice at MVH/UVMC/AMC as there are exclusive contracts?
The only exclusive contracts are hospital-based contracts – emergency, radiology, anesthesia, and pathology. One exception is EMG readings at Miami Valley Hospital, which is currently under discussion.

Will I have to pay to be credentialed at another Premier Health facility?
If you are not already credentialed at another Premier Health facility but wish to be credentialed now, we will waive the fee for your initial application(s).

If you are interested in getting privileges at another Premier Health facility, you can contact the CMO directly so they can facilitate your application. They are:

• Dr. Marc Belcastro – Miami Valley Hospital/Miami Valley Hospital South
• Dr. Matt Reeves – Atrium Medical Center
• Dr. Scott Kanagy – Good Samaritan Hospital and Upper Valley Medical Center
• Dr. Jennifer Hauler – system chief medical officer

How will my voice count in leadership?
CMOs will be working with the medical staff at the hospitals to integrate interested physicians into committees of interest. You can get more information by contacting the respective site CMO.

What will happen to Good Samaritan Hospital directorships?
The medical directorship will cease when Good Samaritan Hospital operations cease. We will review individual agreements with each medical director as services transition. As part of our 2020 strategic plan, we will be looking at what new configuration of medical directorships is needed in the system reconfiguration, with a focus on continuum of care.

Will I lose my APPs or have to work with different APPs?
Our goal is to offer all patient-facing care providers an offer of continued employment. We will attempt to keep teams together as much as possible, but that will depend in large part on where physicians opt to practice within Premier Health, as well as community needs.

What about my office space?
If you lease space at a current Good Samaritan facility, we will arrange a meeting with real estate to discuss your options.

Will I be able to get OR block time?/Will I be able to get procedure time (endo, bronch, cath)?/ Will extended OR times be available?
Our intention is to accommodate Good Samaritan surgeons and proceduralists at other Premier Health locations. We will be integrating Good Samaritan physicians into the surgery governance groups at Miami Valley Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital South, Atrium Medical Center, and Upper Valley Medical Center. As procedures for scheduling and block time differ at each facility, the combined governance group will discuss the new processes and decide on options together.

Where will I park at other facilities?
A parking lot will be assigned to you once your work location is determined. Additional specific parking changes will be implemented as part of the transition to ensure there is adequate parking for all major types of parking needs (i.e. patients, visitors, physicians, staff, handicap access, electric car charging, etc.).

If I am transferring from the Good Samaritan main campus to another Premier Health facility as part of the placement process, how will my transfer be coordinated?
Staff will be transitioned in a phased approach to ensure the safe care of our patients.

If Premier Health is still recruiting externally, how can employees count on a job offer?
Hiring from the outside will be limited to hard-to-fill positions.

What happens to my pension?
There is no impact to your pension benefit. Premier Health has one pension plan for all its facilities.

What impact, if any, will my transfer have on my years of service?
Your hire date and TOP date will remain the same.

How are weekend rotations handled?
Weekend rotations vary by site and by department; you will have an opportunity to review that information for positions you are considering.

What if my manager has approved TOP for me already?
As part of the placement process, staff will have the opportunity to communicate to the hiring manager any previously approved TOP.

If I change jobs or am required to wear a different color of scrubs, is there any stipend for uniforms?
Yes. You will receive a stipend to purchase two sets of scrubs.

Will I be expected to attend an orientation at the new facility?
Yes; orientation is a regulatory requirement.

Will I have a 90-day assessment in my new role?
Assessments after 90 days are a regulatory requirement and will be completed for all staff. You will not be restricted from using TOP or any of your other benefits, though, during the first 90 days in your new position.

Who will do my annual assessment?
We are not conducting annual assessments for staff throughout the system below the director level in 2018, except in accordance with regulatory requirement standards.

Will I be eligible for a pay increase in 2018?
Employees hired before January 1, 2018, will receive a base pay adjustment in April 2018 (employees hired within the past 12 months will receive a pro-rated increase per policy).

Will employees from Good Samaritan Hospital bump other employees from their job?
No.

How will seniority for weekend rotations, etc. be handled when employees transfer to the hospital?
Seniority will be honored when employees transfer from Good Sam to another Premier Health facility. Weekend rotation assignments will be handled in accordance with established department guidelines.

Will we continue to hire employees at the Good Samaritan Hospital main campus?
Our intention is to make use of supplemental staffing as needed (i.e., contract, agency, float pool/support employees, etc.). 

Back to the January 2018 issue of Premier Pulse