Latest news with #FrisbieMemorialHospital
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Residents critique care at Rochester's Frisbie Hospital under HCA
If you wanted to know how things have gone at Frisbie Memorial Hospital since for-profit HCA Healthcare, the world's largest hospital conglomerate, took over in 2020, Wednesday's public meeting in Rochester told two stories. Corporate leaders and hospital staff marched in lockstep to the podium and offered their own positive self-assessments. Residents came not to praise HCA, but to plead with the state's Health Care Consumer Protection Advisory Commission and Attorney General John Formella to help make their community hospital better. The meeting was 2½ hours long so everyone who signed up could speak. The first 88 minutes of input, however, was almost entirely HCA and Frisbie officials talking about the strides they've made. State Sen. Tom McGough and state Rep. Julie Miles, both Merrimack Republicans who are on the commission, prodded doctors, nurses and officials to speak in unscripted terms, answer questions and be accountable to patients. 'That's a great testimonial from the CMO. I'm thrilled to hear that things have come back — ortho, neuro, partial hospital psych services. That's fantastic. We've got a room full of folks. What are we about to hear? What are you still missing?' McGough asked Dr. Trevor Eide, the chief medical officer. Eide said Frisbie's goal is to take care of as many patients as possible in Rochester and send only the sickest patients to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, which is also owned by HCA. 'If I had to say there's one thing that I'd like to have back, one service line, I think nephrology to provide dialysis for our dialysis patients.' Eide said when pressed. Hospital officials listed several areas of improvement, including faster turnaround to transfer critically ill patients to other hospitals and better access to outpatient services, primary care and specialists. Frisbie has also decreased the time it takes a patient coming into the emergency room to be evaluated by a provider, which is now less than six minutes, according to Dr. Carly Shiembob, the medical director for Frisbie's emergency department. Yvonne Goldsberry, a member of the commission, suggested HCA provide a community benefit report like nonprofit hospitals are required to share with the public. Goldsberry, Formella, McGough and Miles all suggested better communication and community outreach. Merger fallout Residents focused mostly on services they lost after HCA saved Frisbie from closing just before COVID-19 hit. Commission members also made note of services Frisbie no longer provides, such as discontinuing labor and baby delivery services. In 2022, Formella's office investigated why HCA, which had agreed as part of the merger in 2020 to continue several services for at least five years, reneged on its promise and began sending expectant mothers 21 miles down the Spaulding Turnpike to Portsmouth. Ultimately, HCA and the AG's Office worked out a deal in 2023 for HCA to provide $2.75 million to the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation to improve health and well-being for Rochester-area residents. 'How would you have us spend the $2.75 million, which is not much to a big company like HCA. But that money came from HCA and, let's face it, it's got to be part of the cost of business. How would you have this commission spend it?' McGough asked Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan, one of the speakers who praised Frisbie. Callaghan suggested using the money to improve mental health and drug addiction services. Sharp criticism Dr. Mike Metzger, who worked at Frisbie as a cardiologist from 2005 to 2023 and now works at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, said the most seasoned doctors and nurses have left Frisbie. 'I feel like HCA does have a playbook, and it knows how to harvest its profit,' Metzger said. 'I say this with great sadness. I was one of the biggest cheerleaders of Frisbie, but I feel like this has to be said. While there may be some services there, they're nominally there. Most patients are being transported to Portsmouth Hospital.' Sharon Croft, who was born at Frisbie and was a school nurse for almost 30 years, said she and others lost their doctors and received little or no notification. Others said the bad communication about doctor departures put some of them in a bind when it came time to renew the medications they relied on or couldn't find where their doctors moved to. Incidents like those eroded trust in the hospital and HCA, they said. 'Even though we hear all of these good things, people that I deal with, people in my neighborhood, they don't want to go to Frisbie,' Croft said. 'They want to go someplace else. It's not the people, it's what's available to them, and whether they are actually going to get the things they need. Or are they going to end up going someplace else anyway?' Roberta Goodrich, who lived in Rochester for 22 years before moving to Wakefield and previously worked at Frisbee, was disappointed when HCA closed the White Mountain Medical Center, the Barrington Walk-In Care and Seacoast Readicare in Somersworth. HCA officials said they had to close their clinics because they were losing money and didn't have enough patients to justify staying open. Goodrich said the reduction in services makes it clear that HCA values profits over patients. 'Since the HCA acquisition, Frisbie Hospital no longer has labor and delivery maternity care. How many women want to have prenatal care and then find out they have to go somewhere else to deliver,' Goodrich said. 'Delivery doesn't really generate much money for the company unless it's a complicated delivery or involves a C section.' Marsha Miller, who lives across the street from Frisbie, said she goes to Wentworth-Douglass because her husband can't get the care he needs in their home city. 'No matter what stories we hear today, and they are awesome, the reality is that people in Rochester that have touched the hospital before these changes, have that negative image,' Miller said. She said Frisbie can overcome the negative perception with better care and better communication. Putting patients first Formella was asked why so many people from HCA took up the majority of time during public comments and why residents didn't get to speak until the meeting was more than half-way over. 'We're going to think hard about that going forward as to how to make sure that these forums are true community forums, and we hear mostly from community members,' Formella said. 'Obviously, we don't' want to tell people they can't speak, but we also need to make sure that we're setting this up in a way that we hear from the community. I think we heard a lot from the community tonight, but I think in forums going forward, we're going to work to make sure we're hearing even more from community members and less from representatives from corporations.' Goldsberry agreed, saying HCA knows how to stay on message. 'The hospital has a lot of resources, and when they come to public events, they come with all their resources,' she said. 'Community members don't have those kinds of resources.' She said the commission will balance the testimony during the public meeting with a large amount of feedback its received from residents who email in their concerns. To submit a question for the Health Care Consumer Protection Advisory Commission, email Christine Rioux at dpierce@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Frisbie Hospital opens sleep lab, holistic wellness events: Seacoast health news
PORTSMOUTH – Portsmouth Regional Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare, has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. This is the second consecutive year that Portsmouth Regional Hospital has earned this recognition. 'Portsmouth Regional Hospital has been honored with several awards from Healthgrades for our outstanding patient care, and this Patient Safety Excellence Award further shows our commitment to providing safe, high-quality care,' said Michelle Dodd, RN, chief nursing officer and interim chief executive officer of Portsmouth Regional Hospital. 'Every day, we strive to provide unparalleled patient service, and awards like this highlight the hard work and commitment of our colleagues.' Portsmouth Regional Hospital's achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. As part of its 2025 hospital assessment, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine the top performers in specialty care. Consumers can visit to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access a patient-friendly overview of how we rate and why hospital quality matters here. ROCHESTER — Frisbie Memorial Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare, has partnered with its sister facility Portsmouth Regional Hospital to open a new sleep lab in Rochester. Located in the hospital, the new sleep lab opened to patients March 24. 'At Frisbie Memorial Hospital, we are committed to providing a wide range of high-quality services to the community and, through our close partnership with Portsmouth Regional Hospital, we are able to deliver these in a community hospital setting.' said Tom Bowden, chief executive officer at Frisbie Memorial Hospital. The sleep lab at Frisbie Memorial Hospital offers a private, warm and home-like setting with rooms that keep your personal comfort in mind. Each room includes a desk, dresser, private bathroom and shower. Sleep disorders, if left untreated, can increase the risk or lead to the worsening of several medical conditions including heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and also can have a negative impact on mental health. A primary care provider or specialist can refer patients for sleep studies, which can be conducted at home or in the sleep lab. Some common symptoms of sleep disorders: Difficulty falling asleep Snoring, gasping or choking during sleep Trouble staying asleep Unusual breathing patterns Excessive movement when relaxing Daytime fatigue Irritability, anxiety, and depression Physician referrals are required for sleep studies. To request more information or to schedule a consultation, call 603-602-6440. DOVER – Aya Naturopathic Medicine, a new telemedicine practice dedicated to evidence-based holistic healthcare, is excited to announce a series of community events across the Seacoast this April. These events will offer hands-on wellness experiences, educational talks, and opportunities to connect with naturopathic doctors. April 2, from 4-5 p.m. - Natural Sleep Support Class, Herbal Path Apothecary, Dover. Struggling with sleep? Learn practical lifestyle shifts, relaxation techniques, and herbal remedies to support deep rest. $10 April 3, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. - Perimenopause & Strength Training, Seacoast Strength, Rye. Learn how perimenopause impacts metabolism and energy levels, and how strength training can help. Free. April 4, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. - Sip & Connect: Meet the Docs, Hearth Market, Portsmouth. A casual coffee chat, drop by to meet us, ask questions, and learn about our practice. Free. April 5, from 2-4 p.m. - Nourish & Flow: Seed Cycling & Herbal Self-Care, Holistic Hive, Hampton. A hands-on workshop on hormone balance, seed cycling, and yoni steaming—plus protein ball sampling. $45. April 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Evolution Expo, Grappone Conference Center, Concord. Meet us at our booth, enjoy a free craniosacral therapy mini-session, and grab a custom herbal lip balm. Free. April 12, from 2-4 p.m. - The Art of Herbal Infusions: Tea Blending Workshop, Catalyst Creative Studio, Goffstown. Create your own custom herbal tea blends for stress, digestion, and sleep with expert guidance. $45. Reserve your spot(s) here: LEBANON – Dartmouth Health Children's has joined a coalition of over 20 leading national healthcare organizations to launch a campaign developed by the Ad Council addressing the gun violence crisis facing America's youth. 'Agree to Agree' unites gun owners and non-gun owners alike, building from the common ground we all share to protect our children from firearm injuries and death. 'As child health professionals, all of us at Dartmouth Health Children's know that gun violence threatens the health and safety of all children and families, and we believe that we must unite as Americans across the socio-political spectrum to address it,' said Dartmouth Health Children's physician-in-chief Keith J. Loud, MD. 'We're proud—as a member of the Children's Hospital Association—to be one of the first children's hospitals to participate in this ambitious effort to help people across the country have this discussion.' In the new campaign, one of the public service announcements showcases real kids and their parents uniting to help adults recognize there's no debate that children and teens should be protected from firearm violence. The PSA directs viewers to where individuals can learn about gun violence and how they can take action in their homes and communities to prevent firearm injury and death. Another PSA in the series features healthcare professionals speaking directly to other clinicians on their unique role in preventing firearm injuries through collaborative conversations with their patients. The video instructs healthcare professionals to visit for resources on how to have collaborative gun violence prevention dialogue with families. For more information on the 'Agree to Agree' effort and to access resources such as conversation guides and shareable graphics that educate and encourage audiences to take individual steps to protect communities and children, visit This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Frisbie opens sleep lab, holistic wellness event: Seacoast health news
