| Strategic
Planning, Decision-making and
Identification of Healthcare Needs
Brattleboro Memorial created a new strategic plan in
2006/2007. The process involved a thorough environmental
assessment with input from the BMH Medical Staff, Leadership
Team, Employees, Board, and the public. The BMH Board
is comprised of 11 voting members, nine of whom are
community residents with no other affiliation to the
hospital. Community input was obtained by a telephone
survey of obstetrical patients in August, 2006, at focus
groups conducted for the Community Health Assessment
on health care needs, and at the 2007 Public Meeting.
BMH is on the small steering committee for the United
Way of Windham County’s 2008 Community Needs Assessment.
We are also contributing financial support to accomplish
the assessment. Results are expected in a few months.
Ongoing participation and identification of healthcare
needs has many facets. Opportunities for public participation
include:
1. Board membership and responsibility to represent
community interests in decision making.
2. Serving as a Corporators – 100-plus community
members attend the annual meeting of BMH and our parent
corporation. Corporators also serve on various hospital
committees including the Planning Committee which oversees
the creation and implementation of the strategic plan.
3. Active involvement of 135 volunteers who assistant
with many aspects of hospital work and provide ongoing
feedback.
4. The May 2008 community study. Two-hundred-fifty residents
in the BMH service area responded to a telephone survey
that included questions on availability of medical services
and the need for new programs.
5. Involvement of the hospital’s neighbors in
plans for the new outpatient building.
6. Annual public meeting held specifically for the purpose
of gathering input for the hospital’s strategic
plan and input into the hospital services provided and
needed.
7. Patient satisfaction surveys which gather extensive
feedback on services at BMH from inpatients, Emergency
Department patients, and outpatients.
For more information about public participation events,
you may contact Barbara Gentry (info immediately above),
BMH Director of Community Education Wendy Cornwell at
802-257-8325 or wcornwell@bmhvt.org,
or you may access our main hospital website at www.bmhvt.org
and click on Current Events.
Three initiatives BMH is undertaking to meet hospital
service area needs are:
1. Physician recruiting – Community members are
concerned about access to primary care physicians. We
have had a very active program to recruit physicians
to Brattleboro and nearby towns. This focus continues
to be a top strategic priority.
2. Expanding/Improving Emergency Services – A
full time medical director was hired in 2007. The physician
staffing of the ED was stabilized. In 2008, a safe room
was added to the ED and the physician and staff has
implemented a Lean initiative to streamline care.
3. Enhancing the Oncology Department through an expanded
Breast Care Program and through new space in the outpatient
building currently under construction.
Copies of the BMH strategic plan can be obtained by
calling or writing Prudence MacKinney, Vice President
Planning/Professional Servs. 802-257-8367, pmackinney@bmhvt.org
, 17 Belmont Avenue, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
The capital expenditure plan and depreciation schedule
can be obtained by calling or writing Michael Rogers,
Vice President of Finance, 802-257-8279, mrogers@bmhvt.org,
17 Belmont Avenue, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
For more information about public participation events,
you may contact Barbara Gentry by calling 802-257-8316,
FAX: 802-257-8822; e-mail bgentry@bmhvt.org;
or write B. Gentry, BMH, 17 Belmont Avenue, Brattleboro,
VT 05301. You may also contact BMH Director of Community
Education Wendy Cornwell at 802-257-8325 or wcornwell@bmhvt.org,
or you may access our main hospital website at www.bmhvt.org
and click on Current Events.
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