State allows more hospitals to offer elective angioplasty


Yakima Herald-Republic

Links
Email_black_18  E-mail           Print_black_18  Print            Talk_black_18  Comments
Advertisement

More 'Local'

  1. Trails a tangible part of quality of life
  2. Forum takes hard look at keeping kids out of gangs
  3. How well did you read the YH-R last week?
  4. Road work will slow Valley Mall Blvd. traffic
  5. State to look anew at mosquito control rules
  6. Yard sale has class written all over it
  7. Transplanting history in Grandview
More Stories:   Today's News | This Week

 

YAKIMA, Wash. -- It was salt in the wound for Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.

The state Department of Health announced Monday that nine new hospitals have been approved to add elective angioplasty to their cardiac services. Not on the list is Memorial, which is suing the state in federal court over the rules that let hospitals add the procedure.

The state's decision is the result of legislation passed in 2007. The law directed the Health Department to develop rules to determine where there was a need for the less invasive procedure. As written, the rules effectively determined that Yakima wasn't a big enough market to need two hospitals doing elective angioplasty.

So for now, Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center -- because it has backup open heart surgical capability -- keeps its control over elective angioplasty, which is the opening of clogged arteries using a catheter with a balloon or stent on the end. (Memorial does lots of emergency angioplasty.)

Memorial's lawsuit alleges that the state is restraining trade and allowing Regional to keep a monopoly. The trial date isn't until November 2010.

Hospitals winning approval for elective angioplasty are St. John Medical Center, Longview; Stevens Hospital, Edmonds; Capital Medical Center, Olympia; Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Kirkland; Skagit Valley Hospital, Mount Vernon; Good Samaritan Hospital, Puyallup; Valley Medical Center, Renton; and a joint program by St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way and Auburn Regional Medical Center in Auburn.

 



Commentsicon2
Posted by bravebaby3 at 10/27/09 07:45AM        Post ID#: #16156

Go Memorial!! I am all for choice!! I stay away from Yakima Regional if I can. At a time where seconds count, I dont want to be transported from Memorial to Regional just because some law maker somewhere says Yakima only needs one hospital performing these procedures! I say give it to memorial then!! They should have looked at hospital popularity vs which one already has the capability. Obviously since Memorial has been providing this service on an emergent basis, they are capable of providing it anytime.

Report Violation
Posted by huh at 10/27/09 10:05AM        Post ID#: #16175

Just be lucky that you can even get the procedure at all. Once the gov takes charge, it will be only at their say so if you cn have the procedure done at all. Then you may have to go to Boise to have it done. Oh yea, the gov won't be paying transportation and lodging either. Why Boise? Well, they may have an opening in 4 months when Yakima has an opening in 9 months.

Report Violation
Posted by huh at 10/27/09 10:05AM        Post ID#: #16176

And why are you avoiding Regional? Are you a bit biased?

Report Violation
Posted by OddThomasFan at 10/27/09 05:03PM        Post ID#: #16221

I guess it is okay if Memorial sues but not if they get sued? Strange. Have to wonder about a nonprofit that is so concerned about profits. This area is lucky to sustain 2 hospitals but don't worry, the way things are going, Memorial will be our only choice soon enough.

Report Violation
Posted by RWBSocks at 10/27/09 08:22PM        Post ID#: #16228

OddThomas is correct to say that Memorial is a nonprofit. Regional a for-profit hospital. This may be obvious to say, but I feel still worth saying, that while Regional's earnings are to some extent (probably a large extent) returned to the parent company and its owners/shareholders, Memorial reinvests its "profits" back into the community of Yakima...in the form of Children's Village, North Star Lodge, and much more. An inability on the part of Memorial to do elective angioplasty (which I am assuming pays better than some other hospital-provided services)impacts the hospital's ability to further develop and provide cancer care to your wife or services for your autistic child, or for that matter a choice to the consumer/patient as to where to have your elective angioplasty performed. This is a no-brainer.

Report Violation
Log in or Register to leave a comment.

Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g., you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason. Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the "report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.

Registered User?