At my hospital, our Foundation (fund raising department) has started what they call the "Circle of Caring". You become a member of the "Circle" by donating $10,000 or more to the Foundation. One of the perks of membership is "Healthcare Navigation Services" where a representative of the Foundation stays with you for the first 24 hours of your stay in the hospital starting in the ED. The names of the "Circle" members are flagged in our computer system and when they come in to the ED or are directly admitted we get a pop-up telling us to page the Foundation rep on call. They get taken directly to a private room and don't have to wait in the ED waiting area or in a multi-patient room regardless of their condition. The Foundation won't comment on it, but nurses have reported that they get seen much sooner by a Doc in the ED than they would have as a regular patient. I have had one of these patient's on the floor and the Foundation Rep basically lets you know, directly and indirectly, that this patient needs to be your top priority.
I realize the hospital depends on donations, but as a nurse it seems like we should be advocating for the seriously ill patient who is now having to wait even longer to be seen so that a big donor can have his "burning with urination" evaluated.
Is this becoming a new thing elsewhere in the country or is it just where I work?
Yes, money does talk. And if a patient wants to have "nicer" amenities (i.e. lush bathrobe, slippers, 5 star meals, a private nurse, etc.) then s/he can simply purchase them independently. I would have no problem with that. However, those types of services should not be "purchased" for the price of a large "donation". Public acknowledgement, a thank you note, fruit and flowers, the tax writeoff is appropriate. End of story.
VIP status that affects how patients are triaged, how they are "prioritized" (as the OP had stated in the first post), how ratios are determined, etc. boil down to standard of care. And a hospital that offers different standards of care smacks of impropriety, is unethical, possibly illegal, and places a (hugely unneccessary) conflict of interest for nurses between protecting their licenses and following the policy of their employer.
the patient has the right to ask and be informed of the existence of business relationships among the hospital, educational institutions, other health care providers, or payers that may influence the patient's treatment and care.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Asking nurses to scope out potential donors and sell the "circle"? That is truly awful. And having been schooled by that group of nuns and volunteered at the hospital next door to the school it's very dismaying and very far from the original mission of the sisters. Obviously they've had to hire more business managers etc from the lay community but it's clearly gone waaay too far!!!!
Specializes in Psych/CD/Medical/Emp Hlth/Staff ED.
After reading this, I am just curious as to what the mission statement and core "values" of this Hospital are. Money talks there, for sure. :barf01:
We "carry on the healing mission of Jesus Christ".
Even though we are a Catholic not-for-profit, we have a history of questionable business practices, enough to catch the attention of high level courts. Our responses to these apparent contradictions have always been that establishing regional monopolies and being financially strong is actually part of our mission; since our style of care is assumed to be better than that of non-catholic healthcare providers, the morally correct thing to do is to crush our inferior competitors and make lots of money. We denied our CNA's a raise (not even cost of living adjustments were made) recently with the justification that it was the moral thing to do.
When I got hired on here, I looked forward to working for a not-for-profit. I have since come to learn that not-for-profit means very little, they can still turn a profit, their administrators can get paid huge amounts and receive huge incentives, ect. All "not-for-profit" really means is that there are no investors and there are some community benefit requirements, although even those have been relaxed in recent years to the point where they are difficult to detect.
I hope they're never my patient. It would be a big waste of $10,000 on their part, because I paid for my nursing license myself and my sickest patients will always be my number 1 priority. The liaison, however, can feel free to fetch and catch my entire shift.
I don't have an issue with VIP perks, such as having their own floor, or room, or special food. If people want to pay for that then more power to them.
I have a HUGE problem with them getting priority in the ED. They should never be seen first or get special treatment because they are rich. That's just flat out sickening.
When I got hired on here, I looked forward to working for a not-for-profit. I have since come to learn that not-for-profit means very little, they can still turn a profit, their administrators can get paid huge amounts and receive huge incentives, ect. All "not-for-profit" really means is that there are no investors and there are some community benefit requirements, although even those have been relaxed in recent years to the point where they are difficult to detect.
Unfortunately, you can't always assume that a nonprofit facility or system will be a great employer and community citizen. There are good and bad nonprofits out there (and everything in between, I'm sure). I currently work prn at a psych hospital that's part of a larger nonprofit system, but the hospital operates more like a for-profit than I would ever have imagined possible -- they cut every corner imaginable, squeeze every nickel 'til it screams, and engage in some v. hinky practices that I'm sure would get them into serious trouble if they ever came to the attention of the authorities.
we "carry on the healing mission of jesus christ".
even though we are a catholic not-for-profit, we have a history of questionable business practices, enough to catch the attention of high level courts. our responses to these apparent contradictions have always been that establishing regional monopolies and being financially strong is actually part of our mission; since our style of care is assumed to be better than that of non-catholic healthcare providers, the morally correct thing to do is to crush our inferior competitors and make lots of money. we denied our cna's a raise (not even cost of living adjustments were made) recently with the justification that it was the moral thing to do.
when i got hired on here, i looked forward to working for a not-for-profit. i have since come to learn that not-for-profit means very little, they can still turn a profit, their administrators can get paid huge amounts and receive huge incentives, ect. all "not-for-profit" really means is that there are no investors and there are some community benefit requirements, although even those have been relaxed in recent years to the point where they are difficult to detect.
we "carry on the healing mission of jesus christ".
that's the largest business out there. don't mess with them, they'll take you down. all under the guise of caring/healing, but it's all about money/power.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
we "carry on the healing mission of jesus christ".
that's the largest business out there. don't mess with them, they'll take you down. all under the guise of caring/healing, but it's all about money/power.
amen! not for profit is a tax exempt status........like the catholic church! it does not mean run inthe red.......it just means that the monies that would go to taxes is placed in a fund to "re-invest" into the facility (gererally speaking). i have worked at both and i will tell you.........for the most part ...........not for profit is the way to go. the for profits i have worked at are worse to their employee's.......they count coffee cups,they don't supply coffee,soda must be ordered per patient. as the sup.......i would have to sign out ginger ale to the individual patient.
if someone wants a better room go....... for it.........a vip floor isn't actually that uncommon, but bumping other patients based that they can't pay as much is a big problem.
:smokin:
SaltyNurse
82 Posts
Yes, money does talk. And if a patient wants to have "nicer" amenities (i.e. lush bathrobe, slippers, 5 star meals, a private nurse, etc.) then s/he can simply purchase them independently. I would have no problem with that. However, those types of services should not be "purchased" for the price of a large "donation". Public acknowledgement, a thank you note, fruit and flowers, the tax writeoff is appropriate. End of story.
VIP status that affects how patients are triaged, how they are "prioritized" (as the OP had stated in the first post), how ratios are determined, etc. boil down to standard of care. And a hospital that offers different standards of care smacks of impropriety, is unethical, possibly illegal, and places a (hugely unneccessary) conflict of interest for nurses between protecting their licenses and following the policy of their employer.