Janesville’s new hospital facilities both say they’re busy
Podcast Episode
St. Mary's Janesville is getting more emergency room patients than expected. Hospital officials say they've seen about 1,900 ER patients since opening in January. That's 80 percent more than expected. Kyle Geissler reports.
JANESVILLE — Proponents of new medical facilities in Janesville say the first two months of operations shows the expansions were warranted.
Activity at the new St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital is off the charts, and Dean Clinic Janesville East is so busy that more valet parking attendants are being hired.
Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center North and Mercy Clinic North, the Janesville-based health system’s newest clinic and satellite emergency room, also reports a robust business.
All three facilities opened in early January.
“In general, we’ve experienced much more activity than we expected,” said St. Mary’s hospital spokeswoman Joan Neeno. “We’ve been busy since the day we opened.”
Hospital admissions and in-patient surgeries are well beyond forecasts, she said, and the facility’s emergency room has had significantly more visits than planners predicted.
“We’re on pace to have 11,000 ER visits this year,” she said.
Neeno said accurately predicting ER visits, admissions and in-patient surgeries before a hospital opens is difficult. Even so, hospital officials gave it a try to establish baseline operations, she said. Staffing levels have been appropriate to handle the increased volume, she said.
Diane Wilhelm, Dean’s clinic administrator for Janesville, Delavan and Stoughton, said the new Janesville clinic has been incredibly busy, and staff and patients are providing positive feedback on the feel and design of the new facility.
Wilhelm said patient volume has increased over levels at Dean’s former home at Riverview Clinic.
Part of that, she said, can be attributed to initial interest among people who wanted to visit the clinic and learn the layout before showing up for an actual appointment.
More significantly, she said, Dean has added new patients as a result of open enrollment insurance signups at area businesses and retirees choosing DeanCare Gold, a Medicare insurance plan.
“We’ve generated a lot of new business, and we’ve been incredibly busy,” she said. “Our parking lot is always full.”
The goal for the new Mercy facility near the Pine Tree Plaza was to make trauma and emergency services more accessible to people in northern Rock County, and it’s doing just that, said Barb Bortner, a Mercy vice president.
Since January, Mercy has had a net increase in visits to its two Janesville emergency departments, she said.
“Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center North and Mercy Clinic North is doing very well since it opened in January,” she said. “Both the clinic and emergency room/urgent care is busy taking care of patients.
“Our emergency department sees 40 patients per day on average, and those patient volumes are peaking on the weekends.”
Bortner said Mercy has added staff to meet patient volumes.
The system also launched MercyInQuicker.org, an online program designed to get patients quicker care at the system’s urgent care centers and emergency departments.
Since St. Mary’s and Mercy opened their new emergency departments in January, Janesville EMS crews have had new destinations to deliver patients.
Deputy Fire Chief Gerry Luiting said during the first two months of the year, ambulances delivered approximately 60 percent of patients to Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, 33 percent to St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and 7 percent to Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center North.
May 29, 2012 at 10:54 a.m.
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This is what is responsible for partially backing up Urgent Care/Emergency Rooms. Just because your doctor is off on leave, requires the need for urgent care?? No one else was taking his/her patients while on leave?? Really.
Mar 18, 2012 at 10:34 a.m.
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Regarding lack of a morgue: it is very common to build a new hospital without a morgue. Only tertiary facilities or teaching hospitals have the need for one. The new St. Mary's Hospital is neither of these. It was designed and planned as a facility for less acute illnesses and as a feeder to its Madison hospital.
Mar 17, 2012 at 9:31 p.m.
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belman, call the customer service department at 608-755-5362 and ask for an estimate M-F from 8:00am-4:30pm...for any test, procedure, etc.
Mar 17, 2012 at 6:56 p.m.
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I am upset because of the cost at Mercy. My Doctor was off on leave so I ended up at urgent care. By bill was over $400.00 for just an exam. No x-ray just two minutes with a doctor. Really Mercy. This is a sham. Why does that cost so much, Then I call Mercy for a Primary care doctor, No one could tell me over the phone what an office visit cost. So much for shopping around Paul Ryan. I can not lower my health cost if they don't let me shop. So mercy please tell me how to do that.
Mar 17, 2012 at 6:21 p.m.
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So Saxcat, what do you do when the hospital is the insurance company (i.e. Dean and Mercy)?
Mar 17, 2012 at 1:56 p.m.
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In reference to the story about the person in cardiac arrest, it's good to remember you should NEVER go to the ER yourself with a potential heart attack. Instead call 911 and get paramedics/EMTs to your location where they can begin immediate cardiopulmonary assistive care, the goal of which is to keep you alive until you can get in a trauma center equipped to handle your case. This was just in the Gazette a few months ago.
http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/dec/01/...
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If you absolutely must drive someone (not yourself), drive to the NEAREST hospital. That will still provide you with the best chance of survival. Remember, the point of CPR isn't to stop the heart attack and resuscitate you (even though that's what movies and TV show all the time), it's to sustain your life -- get oxygen to your brain and organs -- until your heart can be safely restarted in a hospital setting.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/...
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If anyone in your family has heart disease (a good bet someone does) or a history of heart attacks or any other risk factors, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with this advice.
Mar 17, 2012 at 1:40 p.m.
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Since we are one of the fattest States in the Country. I believe that.
Mar 17, 2012 at 1:37 p.m.
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Sax, rip that page out of your book! An Urgent Care or E/R visit are never a "routine visit"!
A routine visit is scheduled with your primary physician.
Mar 17, 2012 at 11:23 a.m.
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March Madness is upon us, apparently. I had St. Marys in my bracket, maybe you had Mercy. Will there be an upset in the big game? Stay tuned!
Mar 17, 2012 at 11:21 a.m.
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Please people tell everyone if you are having ANY symptoms that could be cardiac related DO NOT go to ST Marys! This is not a dig at them but they do not have the facilities available to treat you. Many people don't realize that something as simple as your jaw aching could be a sign of a heart attack. Do Not drive yourself either CALL 911. The paramedics can get the ball rolling if you are having a heart attack. Every minute saved is in your favor. If you have any doubts DO NOT second guess it! It could be your life or someone you loves life that is saved!
Mar 17, 2012 at 9:24 a.m.
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danias, I knew that person too. She worked with my wife. Very sad for her hubby, and family. :(
Mar 17, 2012 at 9:23 a.m.
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MyBlueEquinox...yes , Unfortunately I am well aware of why the question was asked. I thought about it for a second and replied "urgent care", full well knowing it is the "cheaper route". What makes me chuckle, is that it was 6:30 in the morning, and we were the only one's there. They saw him right away. In my book that's a "routine visit". Like I said before, it's the insurance companies that are putting a choke hold on health care. IMO.
Mar 17, 2012 at 8:37 a.m.
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He got reamed in more ways than one.
Mar 17, 2012 at 8:33 a.m.
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I will stick to Mercy because friend of mine died cause her husband took her to StMarys er and they had no cardic to deal with her so they had to leave and go to mercy and she died well going there so I will stay with mercy!!! To me its sad that They aren't equipt and they tell you to go to Mercy hmm.
Mar 17, 2012 at 7:33 a.m.
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Another thing how does Dean "forget" a morgue? If the brass on deans board of directors didnt catch that in the planning stages what else did they miss?
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No thanks, ill stick to Mercy.
Mar 17, 2012 at 7:27 a.m.
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bitch piss and moan. get a job with insurane- end of story
Mar 17, 2012 at 7:26 a.m.
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1st thing, translators are free at both places but so is learning english.
They are required by law to ask if it is work related, Urgent care is much cheaper than an emergency room visit, thats why they asked.
If your friend had gone 2 days since being cut and is just now coming to the Urgent care, i think he can wait a few more minutes. Patients are seen in order of medical necessity....
Mar 17, 2012 at midnight
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I don't buy for a minute that Mercy North is that busy. It's actually quite easy to forget it's even in existence. Then again, like so many others I detest the Pine Tree Plaza area and avoid it all costs.
Mar 16, 2012 at 10:39 p.m.
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MyBlueEquinox, I think you pointed out exactly the same thing as saxcat.
I went for a few years without insurance. I've explained the story on Gazettextra previously, so I won't bore you with the details, but if the people working at the health care facilities don't know how to interpret charges, how is a patient supposed to advocate for themselves?! I was given polar opposite/conflicting information from two areas within the same facility about charges for what I would consider a minor procedure.
Medical Insurance has got us over a barrel and their current practices need to be stopped! THAT is what is messing up our country!!!!!! From those living in poverty and receiving assistance to those in the middle class (whatever that means, anymore) just trying to provide preventative health care for their families....it's a crisis.
Mar 16, 2012 at 9:59 p.m.
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Saxcat - some health insurance providers have different co-pays for an emergency room visit vs. an urgent care visit -- mine is one of them. I pay a $25 co-pay for an urgent care visit and then no other out-of-pocket costs, but I pay a $100 co-pay for an emergency room visit and an additional out-of-pocket expense of 20% of the charges. If given the choice, of course, I'm going to opt for the urgent care visit. That might be why they asked your co-worker that question.
Mar 16, 2012 at 9:28 p.m.
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Is the charge for an open MRI the same as a closed MRI? I sure hope so. I am claustrophobic, and I would be very upset if I had to pay extra for a "comfort" service. Kinda like having a free translator at your disposal. My recommendation is that everyone learn how to speak Farsi. That way they (the hospitals) could provide a free translator to you. Your lack of fitting into society will be accommodated at the expense of all those participating, but don't worry - for you it will be free!
Mar 16, 2012 at 9:25 p.m.
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Have had surgery last year at Mercy & this year at St Mary"s. No complaints on either but use Dean doctors so will use St Marus.
Mar 16, 2012 at 7:45 p.m.
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If Mercy North is so busy,why the open for business signs?
Mar 16, 2012 at 6:07 p.m.
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Mercy is busy thanks to the fact that St mary's is "cherry picking" seems if you have no insurance or a complicated case they are transfering you to Mercy so they don't get stuck with the bill and it makes there numbers look better.
I also heard they built that hospital and forgot to build a morgue. Have seen Dean docs in action so why they would have not built a morgue is way out there!
Mar 16, 2012 at 6:01 p.m.
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I love the new Dean St. Mary's complex! Youngest child is having her first baby and this is going to be such a fabulous place for her first birthing experience! The staff is fabulous and the log-in Kiosks are awesome!
Just being given a choice is a relief. If you love Mercy, fine... just keep using them. But for we who have had incredibly crappy ER experiences at Mercy, this is a breath of fresh air! Its about time!
Mar 16, 2012 at 5:53 p.m.
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neweyes - I've noticed a pretty empty parking lot at Mercy's new clinic as I drive by twice a day. Maybe they're still getting up to speed?
Mar 16, 2012 at 5:11 p.m.
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2 stories...... my mother in law had her gall bladder out at st. mary's. wonderful experience. all complications gone. Janesville gazette every morning. SINGLE ROOM!!!! no dying 100 year old in a fetal position next to her........Oh, and they offer a translator at no charge, so I recommend that every one who goes there request that the instructions be translated in spanish.
My co-worker went to the new mercy "emergency" center a couple of days ago. he had cut his finger a few days back at work, and was now experiencing vertigo and nausea. passed out on the factory floor. no blood work no nothin, just a prescription and send him on his way. This guy looked like death warmed over when i took him in, and the two questions the reception asked that stuck in my head were, "was this a work injury?" , and, "is this an Urgent care visit or Emergency visit. that floored me. who cares!!!!! See the man, and treat him. The insurance Companies are Running the health care system into the ground. They are making Billions, and a regular healthy guy with a potentially serious problem can't get thorough care due to red tape!
Mar 16, 2012 at 5:09 p.m.
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That's odd that Mercy would say that the new North clinic/ER has "robust business"; I know for a fact that they laid off several employees or changed their positions from full to part-time because they were not as busy as anticipated. And the building was no more than open a week and they were applying for a variance to move one of their signs for better exposure. Somebody is being less than truthful.
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