With the repealment of parts of the CON rule in Florida earlier this year, health systems have a new advantage: access to the micro-hospital concept. Access to this new strategic option means benefits to both health systems and the patients they serve. In an interview with James Hutchinson, President of Covider Health, we learn how Florida health systems can benefit from this new law.
What are some of the advantages health systems have seen with the micro-hospital model?
“The concept has numerous benefits for health systems. The smaller footprint of the micro-hospital, typically between 20,000 and 40,000 square feet with 8 ER and 8 inpatient beds, means lower Construction costs, more flexibility in site selection, and less capital investment upfront. Micro-hospitals allow health systems to expand quickly and efficiently. These facilities use a lean staffing model so the cost to run these facilities is much lower than your traditional hospital, and they have a low break-even point. They are typically profitable within one year.”
How do micro-hospitals fit within a large health system?
“Micro-hospitals can fit seamlessly into a larger health system, with fully integrated medical record, seamless transfers to higher levels of care, and better continuity of care for patients. In fact, the micro-hospital care team follows patients throughout the health system, increasing patient loyalty to the health system and repeat business.”
What are some of the advantages micro-hospitals bring to their community?
“Because of their smaller footprint and lower cost, micro-hospitals allow health systems to rapidly expand into new communities or fill gaps between service areas for a fraction of the cost of a traditional hospital. For patients, this means greater access: reduced travel time, more convenient healthcare access where patients live, work, and play. In addition to convenience, these hospitals provide a premium patient experience and their patient satisfaction scores are typically much higher than their larger hospital counterparts. The high-touch small hospital model allows for a more personalized patient experience. When a patient enters a micro-hospital, they typically see a doctor in less than 15 minutes.”
What are some of the risks you have seen with the micro-hospital model?
“Micro-hospitals aren’t just small versions of larger hospitals. Many organizations have made the mistake of trying to implement their own version of a micro-hospital only to find out the hard way what they created is not sustainable. Significant expertise is required to navigate the legion of regulatory and workflow issues that are inherent to the model.
Thankfully, the leadership team at Covider Health has decades of direct, hands-on experience opening and operating micro-hospitals across the nation. We are your turnkey solution to micro-hospitals and would love to talk to you about why micro-hospitals may be the best new solution for strategic expansion of your Florida health system.”
If you would like to learn more about micro-hospitals or Covider Health, visit their website at www.coviderhealth.com.
