Public Hospital Turnaround

When a County faced a financial crisis at its public hospital and affiliated nursing home and community health centers, the County retained MHS professionals to determine whether the facilities should be allowed to continue on the path to financial failure and closure. MHS and Manatt professionals conducted a comprehensive study examining organizational, financial and operational areas of the County healthcare system. The study and a recent update included a review of the clinical programs, graduate medical education programs and physician staffing in each clinical service of the healthcare system to develop departmental strategic business plans, evaluate staffing levels and productivity and identify potential regionalization or affiliation opportunities. Our resulting report concluded that the facilities should be continued, and included numerous recommendations about how to improve the system's results. The County adopted the recommendations and, with technical assistance from MHS professionals, worked with the health care facilities to implement our recommendations, including a comprehensive business planning process, and financial and other improvements designed to improve quality and place the hospital, nursing home and community health centers on a stable operational and financial footing.