St. Joseph's Hospital to open urgent care facility in Highland by December

[High Res]

http://www.bnd.com/532/story/957684.html

[macster]

This is great news. As a recent patient in the newly revamped St. Josephs ER, this urgent care center is a great next step. The ER visit went very well and I will support this care center over the Anderson one currently being built. I will always support the local business. In the past I have had several screw ups from Anderson and wouln't even take my dog there. GO St. Josephs. Hope I never need ya, but will not hesitate to go there if needed

[mothersuperior]

St. Joe's is a bandaide station. If you need anything more then a bandade or a few stitches then don't go there. They are not qualified to take care of anything that is traumatic or life threatening. They transfer eveything because they can't handle it. Why would I bother going there first and pay for an ER visit and then get sent to Anderson anyway and then pay another fee. Doesn't make sense to me. Might as well go to Anderson right off the bat and save the time and money.

[Highland Too]

I agree its a bandaid station. Plus try to find a dang parking spot, even on the back side of the building, is pathetic. The employees take the parking spots by the doors. I had to take my father to PT a few times in the afternoon and the only two spots left by the building just got taken by employees that work there. I wish they would park in the employee parking.

[Luvmygirls]

I would hardly call it a "band aid" station. My husband was a recent patient there in the ER and we were amazed at the transformation they have made there. The doctor was very up to date on his knowledge base, the nurses and staff were very quick to tend to my husband who was in critical condition. I would rather be treated by them, transferred if they don't have the ability to handle the situation, than sit in Anderson ER for 5 or more hours only to find out they missed broken bones or worse (personal and family experience with Anderson) and by the way, IF St. Joseph's transfers, they don't transfer to Anderson, they transfer to St. Louis. If you haven't been there lately, than you can't speak for St. Joseph's. The new management and ER staff have really made a difference. I would rather support my local Hospital than Anderson who are just trying to swoop into town and take business away from a Highland business.

[Myconcern]

Highland was offered the spot where Anderson Urgent Care is being built and turned it down. Now they are trying to "keep up" with Anderson by quickly opening their own version of an urgent care. I hope they do well as it would be a great loss to the community if we lost the hospital or the patients to Anderson. The hospital just needs to get decent administrators who are willing to be proactive instead of reactive. I can't wait to see how this new administrator does. I'm crossing my fingers. My one question in regards to the SJH urgent care is who are going to be the docs taking care of patients out there? I read in the paper where Jeff Davis is moving out there. Are they going to allow him to take care of patients at urgent care? He's not a doctor and I wonder, since he's a PA or NP (I'm not sure which he is), who is overseeing him. All the real doctors that were in that practice are gone. This should be a concern to the community; a PA/NP practicing without supervision.....I hope I'm wrong and that someone is watching over him.

[Resident]

Actually, both Jeff and Erika Schulze (New NP-C) ARE being supervised by a doctor, Dr McDaniel. There is no possible way that they could be in practice without doing so. No worries there. Also, Jeff's credentials are PA-C. In response to an earlier post. Patients are not transferred from St. Joes to Anderson Hospital. It's either to St E's in Belleville or to St. Louis.

[Myconcern]

Who is Dr. McDaniel? I've not heard of him. Is he a new physician practicing in the same office as Jeff Davis and Erica Schulze?

[Resident]

He isn't practicing with them yet, though will be as soon as the Priority Care opens. You can find out more about the Priority Care through the St Joseph's website. :)

[informed highlander]

Just to set the record straight the Priority Care that is being opened is not an urgent care center. There will be providers on staff 7 days a week for 12 hours a day to take care of any patients that need to be seen that cannot get into their regular physician or that do not have a physician.

[Myconcern]

If Dr.McDaniel is not practicing with them yet then who is supervising them now?

[informed highlander]

@MyConcern...you stated in an earlier post that "all of the real doctors are gone". This is untrue, isn't Dr. Chassels still practicing there?

[resident]

Last time I checked, Dr Chassels is still practicing there. Dr Chassels is a great Doctor too, from what I've heard. :)

[wtf]

everyone in Highland and the surrounding areas needs to be thankful that we even have hospital with an ER. This town is lucky to have that since we are considered small... So instead of complaining about it be thankful.

[mothersuperior]

don't even go there about the transferes to Anderson because I know for a fact that they do tranfer to Anderson. Know instances where it has happened. If I had to go to a bigger facility then why not go into St. Louis to Barnes or SLU Hospital or St. John's Mercy and get REAL medical care. Why go to Belleville? Hard to get to...no easy highways to travel...takes more time to travel...travel is just as bad as going into the city.
Had an occasion to go to Anderson just this past summer and received excellent care and was taken in immediately...did not wait 5 hours as some people have previously posted. The time spent waiting after you have been admitted cannot be considered because test are done and it takes time to get the results no matter where you are at. I have had experience at St Joesph's recently and had to wait there just as long to get test run and they did nothing for the patient. Said they ate the wrong thing.

[Just the facts]

St. Joseph's is not perfect-- no hospital is, that's for sure. As far as being a bandaid station, mothersuperior (oxymoron name)is absolutely wrong. Unfortunately, when a hospital does not strive to be more progressive for a number of years (as happened in the past in this situation) the institution can get a bad name. Let's be fair, St. Jo's did rest on its laurels for a number of years due to poor administrative oversight. However, in the past five years they have really made some positive strides. A hospital is so much more than bricks and mortar and fancy decor. [It] is the people, the caring, and the focus on quality and process improvement-- aimed at taking care of sick people in the best way--- that makes a good hospital great. St. Jo's has been around for over 100 years. Clearly, they are doing something right. They are on the right track now and recently hired a very progressive, sharp, young CEO to lead the way. I for one intend to let bygones be bygones and give them another chance.

[Just the facts]

Myconcern wrote:

Highland was offered the spot where Anderson Urgent Care is being built and turned it down. Now they are trying to "keep up" with Anderson by quickly opening their own version of an urgent care. I hope they do well as it would be a great loss to the community if we lost the hospital or the patients to Anderson. The hospital just needs to get decent administrators who are willing to be proactive instead of reactive. I can't wait to see how this new administrator does. I'm crossing my fingers. My one question in regards to the SJH urgent care is who are going to be the docs taking care of patients out there? I read in the paper where Jeff Davis is moving out there. Are they going to allow him to take care of patients at urgent care? He's not a doctor and I wonder, since he's a PA or NP (I'm not sure which he is), who is overseeing him. All the real doctors that were in that practice are gone. This should be a concern to the community; a PA/NP practicing without supervision.....I hope I'm wrong and that someone is watching over him.

You really should have your facts straight before you make flippant and (incorrect) comments. St. Joseph's has been working on a model for an urgent care center for over a year in response to community needs as revealed by a town assessment. They did not turn away "the spot"-- it was under consideration when the $$ hungry local "tycoon" grabbed the money when Anderson threw it out there. I'm glad that you have good feelings and want to see St. Jo's thrive, but I am frustrated when people spread these nasty stories that simply are not true.

[curious]

I want to see St Joe's succeed because once it's gone Anderson is our only alternative and it will be cost effective for them to pack up and let us drive the 30 minutes into Maryville then.

[Rob Bowman]

Just the facts wrote:

<quoted text>
You really should have your facts straight before you make flippant and (incorrect) comments. St. Joseph's has been working on a model for an urgent care center for over a year in response to community needs as revealed by a town assessment. They did not turn away "the spot"-- it was under consideration when the $$ hungry local "tycoon" grabbed the money when Anderson threw it out there. I'm glad that you have good feelings and want to see St. Jo's thrive, but I am frustrated when people spread these nasty stories that simply are not true.

You should check your "facts" too. St. Joseph's was offered 10 acres in Commerce Place FOR FREE about 14 months before Anderson started looking for land in Highland. After about 9 months of discussion, St. Joseph's failed to reach a decision and sign an option on the land. It was about the same time that St. Joe's VP, Claudio Fort left, and the board and administrative hierarchy were reorganized. Any discussion regarding a new hospital was suspended. Had St. Joe's accpeted the offer of free land in Commerce Place, Anderson would not be there today. However, I am sure Anderson would have found another location in Highland on which to build.

[The Citizen]

I just love it when you deign to drop the facts on the unenlightened and let the sunshine in. Would like to see you more often on forums lending some common sense where its needed but there's always so many flamers hijacking legitimate topics for there inane rants and ravings.

Rob Bowman wrote:

<quoted text>
You should check your "facts" too. St. Joseph's was offered 10 acres in Commerce Place FOR FREE about 14 months before Anderson started looking for land in Highland. After about 9 months of discussion, St. Joseph's failed to reach a decision and sign an option on the land. It was about the same time that St. Joe's VP, Claudio Fort left, and the board and administrative hierarchy were reorganized. Any discussion regarding a new hospital was suspended. Had St. Joe's accpeted the offer of free land in Commerce Place, Anderson would not be there today. However, I am sure Anderson would have found another location in Highland on which to build.