The governing boards of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital and Loma Linda University Medical Center recently agreed to take steps to explore affiliation and partnership between the two organizations.
While the discussions are preliminary, the affiliation could allow the two organizations to accomplish more together than could be achieved separately.
The primary focus of the discussions has been to ensure that an affiliation between San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital and Loma Linda University Medical Center will enhance medical and hospital treatment services to the San Gorgonio Pass communities.
Q & A
Q: Why are San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital and Loma Linda University Medical Center looking at an affiliation?
A: Both facilities feel that by working together they can provide better medical and hospital services to the San Gorgonio Pass communities.
Q: What are the objectives of the affiliation?
A:
• Improve the quality of care and patient safety in the Pass communities
- Expand the range of medical services provided to the Pass communities
- Recruit and retain talented medical personnel and staff
- Provide resources to complete the last phase of construction for the patient-care building at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital
- Keep San Gorgonio as a locally owned and governed community hospital.
Q: What are the benefits of the affiliation?
A: Loma Linda University Medical Center is recognized as one of the best hospital organizations in the country. An affiliation will bring its expertise and resources to the San Gorgonio Pass communities. The partnership will also bring additional doctors and medical specialists to the area, and improve the quality and variety of locally available health care treatments. The affiliation will allow improvements at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital that would not be possible otherwise.
Q: Aren’t San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital and LLUMC already working together?
A: Yes, they have worked closely together to manage resources and to achieve cost savings by purchasing supplies, equipment, and medicines through the LLUMC group purchasing organization. LLUMC also provides mentoring and support to San Gorgonio’s chief nursing officer, and interim management of the information technology department. Besides these collaborations, many San Gorgonio patients are already receiving specialty care from LLUMC.
Q: What other partnering opportunities are SGMH and LLUMC exploring?
A: The two organizations have agreed to merge outpatient physical therapy services and are pursuing support agreements for pediatric cardiology and neurology coverage and consultation, among other physician services.
Q: What will an affiliation mean for employees?
A: Jobs and departments at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital are not being eliminated or consolidated. The affiliation will provide employees at both organizations more opportunities, not less. The goal of affiliating is to improve services to patients, not reduce positions at either hospital.
Q: Will San Gorgonio remain a locally owned and governed community hospital?
A: Yes. It is anticipated that the affiliation will leave San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital largely as it is now: a community hospital, providing community health care services, with our existing associates, medical staff, and volunteers. The land, building, and equipment will continue to be owned by the community through the San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Healthcare District, and the hospital will continue to be governed locally and operated by the staff currently in place.
Q: What is the timing for the affiliation?
A: The details of the proposed affiliation are being worked out now. A recommendation will be brought to the governing boards of the two organizations by their December meetings. The final decision on the affiliation will be placed before voters on a Spring 2014 ballot.