Company Profile
Douglas County Hospital
Company Overview
MISSION STATEMENT AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
MISSION STATEMENT:
Douglas County Hospital exists to provide quality health care services to meet the needs of our customers and demonstrate our commitment to excellence.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
1. To provide care to the sick and injured regardless of age, disability, race, color, gender, religion, marital status, sex orientation, national origin, creed or other protected class or ability to pay.
2. To ensure that services are provided with safety, dignity, and privacy to patients and personnel.
3. To assure that the psychological, social, spiritual, and physical needs, beliefs, and practices of patients and families are respected.
4. To address conflicting values and ethical dilemmas as well as complaints and disputes among patients, families, medical staff, employees, the institution and the community.
5. To provide an environment for employees and medical staff which fosters mutual respect, self-respect, personal and professional development.
6. To provide only those services for which there is a demonstrated need and that the hospital is competent to handle in terms of qualified personnel, professional expertise, and adequate physician resources.
7. To carry on educational activities which relate to the rendering of care to the sick and injured or the betterment of community health.
8. To participate in clinical research guided by physicians and other professionals on the causes, cost, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ill health.
9. To participate in soundly conceived programs aimed at improvement of health care delivery systems in Douglas County and surrounding area.
10. To participate in the provision of preventive and/or alternative patient care services designed to reduce the cost of health care services or improve the quality or scope of services provided.
11. To promote and participate in sharing of services, manpower and facilities, and reduce unnecessary duplication.
12. To operate the hospital in a fiscally responsible manner through constant attention to efficient and economical hospital operation, and through active seeking of funds for hospital programs and facilities.
13. To promote awareness among the public of health care services available to them at the hospital.
Company History
History and Background
In 1953, two hospitals existed in Alexandria: Our Lady of Mercy Hospital (40 beds) and Douglas County Hospital (52 beds). These two hospitals operated independently of one another, even though both served the same population and offered essentially identical services. In the mid-1960s, the Franciscan Sisters, who operated Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, began questioning the continuance of their hospital operation in Alexandria. High costs and less than satisfactory occupancy made the operation financially marginal. The competitive environment in which the two hospitals operated also forced expenditures which might have been avoided.
By 1967, a tentative decision had been made to close the doors of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital. At the urging of the State Department of Health, a joint hospital planning committee was formed in November, 1967, to explore the possibility of a hospital merger. This committee, composed of representatives of the governing boards, advisory boards, administrators and medical staffs, secured the services of a hospital consultant. Under the direction of Herman Smith Associates, a study was made and report presented in July, 1968. On the basis of recommendations contained in this report entitled "A Study of Hospital and Related Health Activities for Douglas County and the Alexandria Area," a merger of the two facilities became a reality on April 1, 1969. The management of the merged hospital was delegated to a new nine-member Hospital Board of Trustees appointed by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. In May, 1969, the Board hired a new administrator to manage both of these facilities.
The architectural firm of Henningson, Durham & Richardson of Omaha, Nebraska, was then retained to begin planning a new hospital facility. In February, 1974, a new 101-bed facility was completed, and the two hospitals were physically merged into one facility.
In July, 1974, the nine-member Hospital Board of Trustees was dissolved and the responsibility for governing the hospital was assumed by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners.
Douglas County Hospital continued to grow in response to the needs of an expanding medical staff and increasing population. In March, 1981, Douglas County voters approved a $6 million bond issue for additional hospital beds and expansion of x-ray, surgery and outpatient facilities. This expansion project increased the bed capacity to a total of 127 acute hospital beds.
It became apparent in 1984 that an expanded Hospital Board would provide more stability and continuity because it would eliminate the situation where 60% of the five board members could be replaced at one time. In July, 1984, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to expand the Board to nine members: the five Douglas County Commissioners and four community representatives. A Nominating Committee comprised of the Chief of the Medical Staff, President of the Hospital Auxiliary and an individual appointed by each County Commissioner was established to recommend a slate of candidates to the Douglas County Hospital Board. This newly-expanded board assumed the responsibility of the governance of the hospital in September, 1984.
Continuing its tradition of growth to meet the needs of our population, Douglas County Hospital built a new emergency department and main entrance lobby in 1994. These new facilities establish Douglas County Hospital as a regional emergency/trauma center staffed with physicians in house 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cost for this addition was $2.5 million and was paid for out of funds set aside for hospital expansion.
In 1998, a new state-of-the-art radiation oncology unit was constructed, offering Alexandria a much needed service. This long-awaited radiation oncology unit began treating patients on October 1, 1998, and provides a broad range of radiation oncology services primarily for cancer patients. Patients will no longer need to travel long distances over a period of several weeks for these essential treatments. The hospital partnered with St. Cloud Hospital on this new service.
In 2000, the Hospital Board approved the construction of a 18,500 square foot surgery center on the Broadway side of the hospital. This state-of-the-art surgery center will meet the growing demand for outpatient surgery. In 2003, over 55% of surgery was performed on an outpatient basis. The structural phase of the surgery center was completed in summer, 2001. The second phase of the project was completed in the spring, 2003. The cost for the surgery center was $7 million and was paid for out of funds set aside for this construction.
A Hospitalist program began in December, 2005. Hospitalists covers the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hospital has provided office and exam space for the hospitalists. These services have shown to improve quality care and shorten hospital stays.
Effective January 1, 2006, the hospital entered into a collaborative arrangement for imaging services located in the hospital with Alexandria Clinic, Heartland Orthopedic Specialists, Broadway Medical Center and Center for Diagnostic Imaging. This provides the opportunity to explore new and expanded medical imaging services in the community and to share the business risk of this service.
In 2007 we successfully recruited a medical oncologist for our medical community. This oncologist is employed by Broadway Medical Center and practices out of Douglas County Hospital. A new 7,000 square foot area has been remodeled in the old O.R. space and includes two doctors’ offices, exam rooms, patient waiting and chemotherapy treatment cubicles. The medical oncology unit opened in October, 2007. In July, 2011, the medical oncology unit obtained a three-year accreditation with commendation by the Commission on Cancer. The vision and dedication to establish ourselves as one of 1,500 cancer program that have gained accreditation is exemplary.
For the second time, Douglas County Hospital has been named one the of nation’s Top 100 Hospitals. We do not apply for this award, and we are selected from over 3,000 hospitals nationwide. This award is based on best performance across the whole hospital in the areas of: patient outcomes, patient safety, patient satisfaction, efficiency and financial stability. The hospital is a member of the Class of 2001 and Class of 2008.
In 2008, bids were let for a new 110,000 square foot, four-floor addition to the hospital. This project is now complete at a cost of $32 million, which will be paid for with a combination of cash on hand and tax exempt revenue bonds. The ground floor portion of the building is the Heartland Orthopedic Specialists clinic, the second floor is a surgical inpatient unit and the third floor is an obstetric/nursery unit. The project also included a new lobby and hospital entrance as well as 120 new parking spots.
On July 1, 2011, Douglas County Hospital and Heartland Orthopedic Specialists successfully integrated. We are pleased to have the opportunity to establish this new relationship. The orthopedic physicians have a strong regional reputation and provide a valuable service to our community. Our recognition as the #1 Joint Replacement Center in the State of Minnesota by CareChex is a strong testament to the quality of orthopedic services that are offered through our partnership with Heartland Orthopedic Specialists. The clinic employees are now Douglas County Hospital employees.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals - National 2002 & 2008
Medical Excellence #1 in the State of Minnesota for Joint Replacement - 2011 Carechex.com
Minnesota Hospital Association
Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement