By Steve Coates
Backus Hospital reported earning national recognition for quality and patient safety, the addition of cutting edge technology and screenings for cancer patients and continued progress on the Backus Center for Specialty Care in Plainfield as highlights Nov. 16 during its Annual Meeting of Corporators in Norwich.
The meeting at the Hartford HealthCare East System Support Office on Stott Avenue, with the theme “Because Every Moment Matters,” announced the year’s highlights for the not-for-profit hospital:
- Becoming the only hospital in Connecticut to receive four out of five stars for quality in the latest “Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating” from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service. The Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating, which ranked 3,662 hospitals around the country, summarizes data from 64 existing quality measures publicly reported on the Hospital Compare website into one star rating for each hospital. Measures include mortality, safety, readmissions, the patient experience, and the use of timely and effective care measures.
- Being recognized by The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2016. Backus and Hartford Hospital are among the only 61 out of 615 hospitals considered to receive this distinction nationwide.
- Nearing completion of the Center for Specialty Care in Plainfield. The 40,000- square-foot-facility, adjacent to the Backus Emergency Care Center, will house primary care, medical oncology, an infusion center, cardiology, a retail pharmacy and other services. It is scheduled to open in spring 2017.
- Expanding access for patients on the shoreline, including adding Hartford HealthCare Medical Group Primary Care/Women’s Health providers in Old Lyme, a Hartford HealthCare Medical Group Oncology practice in Waterford and applying to the state Office of Health Care Access to purchase the Constitution Surgery Center in Waterford.
- Becoming the only hospital in Eastern Connecticut and the first in Hartford HealthCare to offer deep inferior epigastric perforators (DIEP) flap surgery for breast reconstruction patients. During this cutting-edge breast reconstruction surgery, blood vessels called deep inferior epigastric perforators (DIEP), as well as the skin and fat connected to them, are removed from the lower abdomen and transferred to the chest to reconstruct a breast after mastectomy without the sacrifice of any of the abdominal muscles.
- Began offering endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) which uses using ultrasound technology allowing physicians to see organs and structures not typically visible during gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients with precancerous and cancerous growths benefit greatly from having the test done locally in coordination with their oncologists and primary care providers.
- For the sixth straight year, being recognized as one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the nation with a “Most Wired” award by Hospitals and Health Networks, a health care publication of the American Hospital Association (AHA). The award signifies a hospital’s commitment to technology and improving the efficiency of care delivery.
- Continuing community outreach and education activities including free screenings for prostate, head and neck and skin cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol and bone density; RX for Health — a collaboration with local pediatricians designed to make fresh fruits and vegetables available for children who are overweight or at risk of being overweight; and building on the hospital’s healthy eating “Just Ask” program by partnering Shop Rite supermarket to offer free grocery store tours for community members.
Backus President Bimal Patel said that despite rapid changes in healthcare and continued uncertainty about funding on the state and federal levels, the state of the hospital remains strong.
“Now more than ever before, there is competition to provide the best possible care for our neighbors—more competition to have the latest and greatest technology for our patients and to build the best medical staffs offering primary care and specialty service in areas where people live and work. The good news for Backus patients is that, thanks in part to Hartford HealthCare and the support of our community, Backus has a head start,” Patel said.
Backus’ operating income for reinvestment in 2016 is $36.5 million. Based on net revenue of $305,820,000, that yields an operating margin of 11.9 percent for fiscal year 2016.
“While we measure our success by quality, patient safety and access to care, positive operating margins allow us to continue to reinvest in our hospital and realize our vision for providing high-quality care to all of the communities we serve in Eastern Connecticut,” Patel said.