Boom times: Systems gear up for hospital construction spree

[PeggyOhio]

I found this mag in our loung. "Modern Healthcare", " The only business newsweekly serving healthcare management is edited to keep healthcare executives current with news and trends in the field.

Here is an excerpt from one article. Does anyone one else see red when they read this?

"But with some relief from the budget law taking effect and with private insurers paying more, hospital executives have become more optimistic about the future and more likely to consider projects."

Boom

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Can't you just see it--state of the art equipment,beautiful furnishings and art work....and empty beds because there is no nursing staff....We have all dropped dead on the job from overwork....

[AnneD]

This is what happens when business takes over healthcare. It is no longer care, it's business. And that's just what we shoild give them...the business

[Mijourney]

Hi PeggyOhio. If memory serves me correctly, wasn't there a period of time in which most care was provided outside of the hospital? Looks like we're going back to those days.

I think the focus on ambulatory care is mostly as a result of advanced technology for a busy and mobile population. Most people that are hospitalized today tend to be the sickest and have failed outpatient or home services. Also I feel that managed care plays a big role in this.

The problem in my view is that we have consulting firms, developers, boards, and CEOs who think that fluff and stuff is more important than substance. It must be part of that Disney World mentality. I'm trying to imagine how all of this will be paid for in the long run as things continue out of control in health and medical care. I can forsee the boomers, possibly needing more services within the hospital setting in the future. Or, maybe the plan is to place more of us in LTC facilities when we get too broken down to stay in the mainstream.

[oramar]

before I saw this post I had just discussed wages with another nurse. We discussed the fact that the federal goverment had just released a lot of money to hospitals. We said that most likely there would be a spate of building and that our construction worker husbands would make a bundle. We also said that most likely wages for nurses would continue to stagnate.