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Contributed commentary by Dr. Tanner Parrent on the planned merger of Jennie Stuart Medical Center with Deaconess Health.
For nearly 40 years, my life has been time-stamped with moments at Jennie Stuart Medical Center. As a boy born here, a teenager admitted as a patient here, a college intern shadowing here, and as a physician currently working here, this hospital is very personal to me. I have seen firsthand the essential role that our hospital plays for patients across Hopkinsville and far beyond the boundaries of our county. I am blessed to work alongside such a dedicated group of physicians, nurses and technical support staff who all share my passion for this community and carry on the legacy of Jennie Stuart. It goes without saying that the recent challenges our hospital has faced trouble me greatly both professionally and personally.
The healthcare industry has changed significantly – particularly over the last decade – and while our staff has worked admirably to keep up with advances in technology, as a community-based, not-for-profit system, we are limited in our ability to evolve at the rapid pace required. For instance, upgrading to a modern electronic health record system (EHR) would be a multimillion-dollar investment that Jennie Stuart simply cannot afford on its own.
We strive to provide the highest level of care and a first-rate experience for patients, but doing so increasingly requires significant investment. Imagine for a moment the advances in the phone (on which many of you may be reading this currently). Now imagine if you had to transition to an old flip phone from 2007. How might this challenge your day-to-day routine? Could you pay your bills? Buy your groceries? Read the news? The evolution of healthcare technology has been similarly transformative, and Jennie Stuart has not been able to keep up with today’s industry standards.
Today, our processes and procedures are managed by an outdated and inefficient EHR system, creating a burden for our staff in preparing records and tracking down medical histories. We need to improve our technologies at Jennie Stuart so our teams can work more seamlessly and provide a higher quality of care. Ultimately, we seek a solution that will allow our teams to spend more time doing what we do best: delivering care to patients.
Modern EHR systems digitalize the medical stories of patients, making it easier for providers to learn about the patient’s history, medications prescribed, tests taken and patient progress. Having easier access to this information can reduce the margin of error and improve physicians’ ability to recommend tests, medicines and services that better suit each unique patient and situation. Most importantly, it can significantly improve the patient’s experience, making health care more efficient and less stressful, while enabling physicians to identify problems and solutions at earlier stages.
The Board of Jennie Stuart Health has acknowledged the challenges burdening us with our current health records management, and I support their commitment to exploring a solution that would create a more efficient work environment for our teams and improve the care experience for our patients. Tools are critical to success in any field, and a functioning EHR is essential for our hospital to survive and thrive in our community for years to come.
The majority of the medical staff physicians feel a partnership with Deaconess Health System makes the most sense as it is essentially a group of community-based hospitals working together across southern Indiana, Illinois and western Kentucky. Most of the medical staff physicians agree that partnering with a large public or private academic teaching hospital does not make sense for our community. Especially given the fact that we currently have an affiliation with Vanderbilt University Medical Center that has been mostly unfruitful, and the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky are 200 miles away in a different time zone.
The proposed transaction with Deaconess presents an opportunity for Jennie Stuart to gain access to a modern EHR system and invest in newer technologies that would improve the patient experience and lead to a higher standard of care. At the same time, this transaction would also allow Jennie Stuart to offer even more services to allow our patients to receive care closer to home. While it pains me to see our community hospital change hands, I know the heart and soul of this place will carry on.
Jennie Stuart for more than 100 years has remained committed to its people and has upheld our values of giving back to Hopkinsville. While we don’t know what the future holds, one thing is for certain: The physicians, nurses and staff of this hospital are passionate about caring for its people and will take actions that allow us to better support our communities into the future.
Dr. Tanner Parrent is a double board-certified dermatologist and micrographic dermatologic surgeon for Jennie Stuart Health. He and his wife, Megan, are both Hopkinsville natives and currently reside there with their two sons. Dr. Parrent’s practice focuses on complex medical dermatology and treatment of skin cancer with an emphasis on Mohs micrographic surgery.