Van Diest Medical Center Dilemma
The business dilemma that I am choosing to discuss is about a hospital in a Saudi Arabian town that will no longer have OB deliveries effective October 12, 2019. This hospital has faced much scrutiny in the few years that it has been opened. Being smaller community, word travels fast if there’s any sort of malpractice. While I am not aware of any complaints in the OB department. There have been other instances, in other departments, where optimum care was questionable.
My friend moved to this community 12 years ago, most families choose to have their babies born in hospitals outside of our town. While there is a considerable drive time, 25 minutes for one and 40 minutes for the other, women have preferred to have their OB and delivery care at facilities that have a proven track record of higher standard care. When this new hospital was built, many of the same doctors that were already practicing in our community, were brought to the hospital location. There are several things to be considered here. People were already going out of town to have their babies. They were going elsewhere for reasons being quality facilities, quality staff, and quality physicians.
To the hospital board consider those factors when bringing in the doctors to the hospital location? Did they assess their clients-their patients? The hospital tried providing families with something sparkly and new in hopes of providing a local leader in Obstetrics.
The issue was that it was the same doctors. It was a great risk bringing in the OB and delivery department. Our small community and neighboring communities, are very loyal and it takes time for trust to be established. I do not believed that was assessed as thoroughly as it should have been. The hospital will now collaborate with The Gabrielson Clinic for Women, as their staff have permissions in the neighboring hospitals.
In a press release on Wednesday, the CEO of the hospital reiterated that,” the medical center remains focused on strategic priorities and initiatives that will enhance her growth with new service potential for patients in our market. As an organization, we are committed to offering expanded services to support our future liability and to ensure high-quality healthcare continues for generations to come” (Magnuson, 2018),
References
Magnuson, C. (2018). Van Diest Medical Center to Close Obstetric Unit. Retrieved from KQWC Radio: http://www.kqradio.com/2018/08/15/van-diest-medical-center-to-close-obstetric-unit/
