Phoebe Putney Health System backs ‘Georgia Way’ health care proposal

ALBANY — Officials from Phoebe Putney Health System showed support on Wednesday for a proposal released last week by a health care task force meant to aid in the discussion of health care in Georgia, while action was made regarding an employee drug screening policy, appointment of an open records officer and the renewal of Phoebe’s contractors.

An update from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce was given to the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Board of Directors on Wednesday by Tommy Chambless, senior vice president of government relations for the health system, concerning three alternatives recently put on the table as a conservative approach to Medicaid expansion.

Gov. Nathan Deal and Republican leaders in the General Assembly have been persistent in opposing Medicaid expansion in Georgia.

Chambless said the three options are meant to close the coverage gap and include enrollees with premium payments, co-payments and work requirements, while also bringing in new dollars with economic expansion, premium taxes, new state revenues and savings over traditional Medicaid.

“While Phoebe provided over $163 million in indigent and charity care last year, every Georgian — and every business owner operating in Georgia — feels the impact of this uninsured burden,” Chambless said in his presentation to the board. “As a result, we are subject to higher insurance premiums and the correlating cost shift to employer-sponsored health insurance coverage.

“We salute the efforts of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and its task force of addressing the current lack of coverage that places every uninsured Georgian at risk.”

The proposal is known as “Georgia Way.” The state is currently one of several holding out on Medicaid expansion.

The board also said that Phoebe’s new website is expected to be unveiled on Monday consistent with its recent rebrand, a product the hospital’s marketing staff heavily contributed to. On a related note, the board voted on Wednesday to appoint Marketing Vice President Jessica Castle to the position of open records officer.

As part of its International Organization for Standardization certification, Phoebe is expected to annually evaluate its contractors who contribute to patient care and safety to determine whether business with those contractors should be continued. The board opted to continue with Phoebe’s current contractors.

The hospital’s board also approved a proposal from its Medical Executive Committee and medical staff regarding drug screenings. Effective Oct. 1, for a three-year period, the policy will call for mandatory drug screening for physicians and affiliate staff at the time of initial appointment.

Over the three-year period, the medical staff is expected to study whether the regulation contributes to patient safety and provider well-being.

Unless affirmative action is taken to renew it, the policy will lapse after three years. At that point, it is anticipated that a recommendation would come down for the policy to apply to all medical staff employees.

The hospital board was also introduced to husband-and-wife physicians, Drs. Edward Koomson and Meredith Koomson. He is an electrophysiogist with Phoebe Electrophysiology, while she is a primary care physician with Tower Medical Group at Meredyth Place.

Prior to the meeting, Albany Pink presented a donation of more than $76,000 from its annual breast cancer awareness walk to representatives from the Phoebe Foundation and Phoebe Cancer Center.

More than 1,000 participants celebrated and honored breast cancer patients and their families during the Albany Pink event held in March at Meredyth Place, coordinated by Albany Motorcars. Proceeds from Albany Pink directly benefit breast cancer patients through patient assistance funds, mammograms, sleeves for patients with lymphedema and pulley systems to assist patients with mobility.

The donation presented on Wednesday included $71,237 raised through the walk, and $5,000 donated by Albany Motorcars.

Going forward, Albany Pink proceeds will benefit patients with all female-centric cancers, including breast, cervical and endometrial. Albany Pink 2017 will be held on March 18.