2011 Annual Report - Summa Health System

It seems counterintuitive. Amid the Because the future of healthcare
debates and discussions surrounding requires us to view the industry
healthcare reform is a central theme: differently. While the practice of
Change how healthcare is delivered providing care for “one
by creating optimal patient-centered patient at a time” in a
care models that produce excellent hospital setting remains, an
outcomes in order to reduce (1) the evolution is taking place.
number of hospital re-admissions and A major component of
(2) the total cost of providing care. that evolution includes
Given this premise, why would a managing the health of
healthcare organization make a populations, improving
w h e n n e i g h b o r s n e e d u s m o s t.
major financial capital investment the health of that population,
in building, expanding, renovating preventing or minimizing diseases
and upgrading the emergency and providing care efficiently and at
departments, outpatient facilities, a reasonable cost. Given the diversity
urgent care centers and clinics of any defined population, it is to
within its system In essence – be expected individuals will have
why keep building
different healthcare needs at different
times. While the needs may vary, the
criteria are consistent. People
want care that is accessible,
convenient and affordable.
Summa Health
System has
a long and
proven history
of effectively
leading change
in healthcare
and is one
of a select group of healthcare
organizations to take a proactive
approach to addressing this issue.
One of the organization’s goals –
one of its promises – is to provide
the right care at the right time at
the right place for the populations
it serves. Assessing how to best
meet that objective helped solidify a
system-wide approach to the current
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