The federal government wants to appoint a patient care ombudsman to make sure healthcare services at Springfield Hospital and at the hospital鈥檚 13 clinics are maintained while the organization works through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.But the hospital is asking the judge to allow the medical system to operate without the additional oversight.
Springfield Hospital and , and the federal bankruptcy code requires the appointment of a patient care ombudsman unless the court finds it unnecessary.
An ombudsman would be responsible for assessing and monitoring the quality of patient care and ensuring that the health care services are delivered in a manner that does not compromise patient outcomes, regardless of financial pressures to cut expenses.
U.S. trustee William Harrington is representing the Department of Justice in the bankruptcy proceedings. said that Springfield Hospital and Springfield Medical Care Systems terminated some services and cut some positions in an effort to save about $2.2 million from this year鈥檚 budget.
鈥淚t is unknown how these cuts will affect the debtor鈥檚 ability to provide quality patient care and maintain staffing,鈥� Harrington wrote.
Harrington wants the judge to appoint an ombudsman in Springfield.
"As we're watching every penny, it would be a cost that we'd have to spend for that effort that we'd have to find from somewhere else." 鈥� Mike Halstead, Springfield Hospital interim CEO
If the judge agrees with Harington, it could cost Springfield Hospital up to $40,000 per month, which could amount up to "hundreds-of-thousands of dollars" while the case is proceeding, according to court records.
Springfield Hospital CEO Mike Halstead said that money should go toward patient care.
鈥淎s we鈥檙e watching every penny, it would be a cost that we鈥檇 have to spend for that effort that we鈥檇 have to find from somewhere else,鈥� Halstead said in a phone interview.
Halstead said spending that money on an ombudsman 鈥渃ould risk pushing the case into administrative insolvency and imperil the approval of the plan.鈥�
Halstead argued that the hospital and clinics are already subject to state and federal oversight, and he also said the hospital鈥檚 own internal patient care systems are in place.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services visited the hospital on July 9 and 10, and the federal regulators found zero deficiencies, Halstead said.
Halstead also pointed out that the bankruptcy had nothing to do with patient care issues and that staff cuts or operational changes did not affect services.
鈥淔rom the very beginning, when we took a look at staffing, we focused in on the non-patient care areas,鈥� Halstead said. 鈥淲e wanted to make sure that we did not compromise the quality of the care and the safety of the care that we were providing.鈥�
There are about 335 employees at the hospital, and another 219 people work in the hospital鈥檚 13 clinics.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday in the U.S. Courthouse in Rutland. A decision on appointing the ombudsman is expected before the end of this month.
