By now, much of our community is aware of Monroe Clinic's campus expansion, and we have appreciated hearing questions and comments from our neighbors. Some have wondered if the rates they pay for care will increase. A few others have asked why Monroe Clinic needs a new facility at all. These all are very good questions and we are glad to address them.
The new inpatient/outpatient facility, which Monroe Clinic will pay for with a combination of our investments and financing, was approved with an eye toward providing patients with the highest quality, most affordable health care possible.
We understand our older buildings may appear to be in fine condition and many of us have emotional connections to them. However, these structures have become inefficient and expensive to operate and cannot keep pace with the changing requirements of modern healthcare delivery. The technology we depend on to deliver today's standard of care can only be accommodated by a modern facility.
In reality, it would cost as much to retrofit older structures as it would to build a new building. Even if we remodeled, we would need to replace our older buildings in another 10 to 15 years. So building new is by far the most financially prudent decision we can make and one that will best help our efforts to hold costs down.
Monroe Clinic is just one of hundreds of hospitals across the country replacing out-of-date facilities and for very good reasons. A 2004 analysis of more than 400 research studies by The Center for Health Design shows hospital design has a direct link to patient health. In other words, the healthcare environment - where care actually is provided and received - can significantly affect health, safety and quality of care, as well as patient and staff satisfaction.
First-rate facilities also are vitally important in attracting and retaining the best caregivers. Without the best nurses, doctors and other providers, we could not continue Monroe Clinic's legacy of offering high quality care to patients and families, close to home.
Our decision to move ahead on a project of this magnitude is not something we have taken lightly. Countless hours were spent weighing the costs and benefits of various options, and we are confident this is best possible decision for the community today - and well into the future.
I invite readers to e-mail questions or comments to me directly at mike.sanders@monroeclinic.org. I look forward to hearing from you as the project progresses, and encourage your involvement in special community events along the way.
The new inpatient/outpatient facility, which Monroe Clinic will pay for with a combination of our investments and financing, was approved with an eye toward providing patients with the highest quality, most affordable health care possible.
We understand our older buildings may appear to be in fine condition and many of us have emotional connections to them. However, these structures have become inefficient and expensive to operate and cannot keep pace with the changing requirements of modern healthcare delivery. The technology we depend on to deliver today's standard of care can only be accommodated by a modern facility.
In reality, it would cost as much to retrofit older structures as it would to build a new building. Even if we remodeled, we would need to replace our older buildings in another 10 to 15 years. So building new is by far the most financially prudent decision we can make and one that will best help our efforts to hold costs down.
Monroe Clinic is just one of hundreds of hospitals across the country replacing out-of-date facilities and for very good reasons. A 2004 analysis of more than 400 research studies by The Center for Health Design shows hospital design has a direct link to patient health. In other words, the healthcare environment - where care actually is provided and received - can significantly affect health, safety and quality of care, as well as patient and staff satisfaction.
First-rate facilities also are vitally important in attracting and retaining the best caregivers. Without the best nurses, doctors and other providers, we could not continue Monroe Clinic's legacy of offering high quality care to patients and families, close to home.
Our decision to move ahead on a project of this magnitude is not something we have taken lightly. Countless hours were spent weighing the costs and benefits of various options, and we are confident this is best possible decision for the community today - and well into the future.
I invite readers to e-mail questions or comments to me directly at mike.sanders@monroeclinic.org. I look forward to hearing from you as the project progresses, and encourage your involvement in special community events along the way.
