Mississippi Valley Health Magazine
Summer 2009
Americans are hearing a lot about health care reform and skyrocketing costs for patients, employers, workers and health care providers. It’s a fact that health care costs for all of us are increasing at rates significantly higher than inflation of general goods and have been doing so for several years.
Here at the Mississippi Valley Health Network, we believe the way we deliver health care is not only better for our patients, but also more cost-effective and efficient. Surgical care at Mississippi Valley Surgery Center is more cost effective because, as an ambulatory surgery center, we are more innovative, employ less overhead, and our patients recover at home instead of expensive hospitalization. Our physicians and participants are encouraged to creatively use technology and ingenuity to deliver superior care and pay attention to the economic details that can add up to higher health care bills. Technology and experienced physicians can formulate and refine surgical approaches so that our patients return to everyday life quicker - and most often, these same surgical techniques result in lower costs and provide a better result for patients.
Mississippi Valley Surgery Center staff plays an important role in the surgical care delivered. Equipment is carefully maintained, waste minimized, and safety protocols followed. The sum of those efforts is evaluated periodically to identify further potential to improve efficiency. The staff is proud of their accomplishments, as they should be, and their efforts are rewarding to our patients and surgeons alike. Attention to the details produces a pleasant and predictable experience that pleases our clients - especially those paying the bills.
We are small business owners ourselves and understand the high cost of employee health benefits. We will continue to work hard to manage the expense side of our business to keep our service the most cost efficient possible. The Mississippi Valley Health Network is the framework that allows the partner practices to support that cost efficient goal and effort. Give our physician partners a try, and let me know what you think. We always want to be better and affordable for you.
_--Dr. John Dooley, Publisher_
