Although several, challenging factors are reshaping the healthcare system in America, many industry professionals are remaining positive. Despite the current shortage of primary care physicians and the recent shutdown of many departments in the Medina Hospital, Orleans Community Health’s new CEO Dolores Horvath is certain that the hospital will survive.

“This hospital is going to be here, but it may look different,” said Horvath, who came to Medina as an interim director last year. “We will continue to offer medical and surgical care to this community.”

According to the new CEO, about 5,000 hospitals throughout the United Sates are currently running at less than 50% of their possible capability, and the least successful simply won’t survive. By aligning with other hospitals and exploring possible partnerships with city hospitals in development, Medina will be able to get through.
“This hospital has 380 employees and I want to continue to see them employed,” said Horvath.

However, the hospital has lost its Behavioral Unit due to lack of lack of funding, and the Cardiac Rehab because there wasn’t any cardiologists on staff. Now, the Medina Hospital has a relationship with Buffalo’s Erie County Medical Center, which has the facilities to treat anyone from drug addicts to children.

“When those people come in to our ER, we refer them,” said Horvath. “We haven’t abandoned those people.”
Horvarth also revealed that there are plans to deal with the current shortage of primary care physicians, a problem that’s affecting the entire country. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are currently about 6,000 primary care health professional shortage areas as of the first of January. Not only does this obviously limit the public’s ability to access healthcare, but it could also prevent the government’s ability to reform healthcare.

To make matters worse, the oral health sector is also facing challenges, which is problematic not only because a person’s smile is an important social asset (it’s one of the first things people notice, after all), but also because poor oral health can lead to a number of other problems, such as osteoporosis. For four straight years, production has been declining, which puts dentists and oral health professionals in a tough economic corner.
While these are clear challenges that will require time, patience, and persistence to overcome, Horvath has plans in place to help the hospital overcome, and is also planning to have a meeting with the heads of the entire Batavia and Rochester health care systems this week so that they can all figure out some sort of partnership.