Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/78900
President’s Message… The Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the constitutionality of the individual mandate portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In the coming years, the impact of this decision will be felt throughout American health care systems, and CentraState is no exception. Health reform has injected a level of uncertainty and risk into the healthcare industry that is unprecedented. However, we have been actively preparing for these changes over the past five years and are confident we can embrace the requirements of the new health care environment and continue to provide the health care services expected in our community. The main crux of the bill is that most Americans will be required to purchase health insurance. And while this provision has proved divisive politically, for hospitals such as CentraState, a repeal of the law could have meant a never-ending spiral in our cost of treating uninsured patients. With this court decision, numerous reforms will continue to be implemented over the next few years. As an example, insurers cannot reject applicants based on health status or cancel your coverage once you get sick. In addition, many preventive services will require no out-of-pocket costs. Some of the reform is already in place, such as children under age 26 being covered under their parents’ insurance. These are good things. Roughly 1 million New Jersey residents who were previously uninsured will now be able to receive health care coverage. This will not only aid those residents in getting the proper preventive care, but also we may see more reimbursement from people who previously could not afford to seek care or pay for the care they received here. For now and the foreseeable future, CentraState remains in a sound financial position. But with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the fundamental way health care is delivered will substantially change over the next few years. Nevertheless, we will remain steadfast to our mission of providing the highest-quality care possible to our community. Yours in Good Health, John T. Gribbin, FACHE President and CEO Community Voices… Dear Mr. Gribbin, In May, I entered your hospital for carotid angioplasty stent surgery on my right carotid artery. When I entered the Short Stay portion of your facility in the Medical Arts Building, Cathy was at the desk and was very friendly and welcoming. Then Eileen Rice, RN, almost painlessly put in the IV. Lucy Furmanec, RN, also assisted in my initial preparation—excellent nurse, as well. Next, Kathy Schneider, RN, accompanied me to the pre-op area. There I met the anesthesiologist, John Tumillo, MD, who was first-rate, very informative and remained with me until several minutes after arriving in the post-op area. Chuck Dinerstein, MD, spoke to me in the room where I was prepped, in the operating room and briefly in the recovery area. His sense of humor helped me relax and gave me confidence in the operation. Since I was awake during the procedure, I was able to speak to the recovery room nurses. They were very friendly and attentive. I think that your entire staff is superior. This was my fifth stay in CentraState in the past 12 months, and I have received wonderful care each time. Thank you and your staff for being so great. You are to be congratulated on running such a successful center. Thanks again, Charles L. Wilder