Local hospital CEOs discuss recruiting doctors, retaining patients

No one should be surprised to know that people leave Highlands County for health care services elsewhere.

Bob Mahaffey, CEO/administrator of Highlands Regional Medical Center, put a dollar amount Wednesday to that annual exodus - $750 million. That number got the attention of those attending a panel discussion on health care at Inn on the Lakes in Sebring.

It was the first of a series of panel discussions focusing on key economic sectors in the county that Dan Murphy, executive director of the Highlands County Economic Development Commission, wants to hold next year.

The panel included Mahaffey, Tim Cook, president and CEO of Florida Hospital Heartland Division, and Peggy Patton, health care admissions director at The Palms of Sebring.

Mahaffey said the focus needs to be on those people who are leaving.

"We have to capture that market," he said. "If we keep money in the community it helps everyone."

Cook put it another way, saying that there were 5,200 discharges or admissions in 2008 involving people who were hospitalized outside of the county.

"That was for a couple of reasons. Some of those people had open heart surgery, and we don't offer open heart surgery," Cook said. "But a good portion of those people left either because they didn't have a physician that they were comfortable with or a health care facility that they perceived had the level of service they could use and be comfortable with.

So one of the opportunities clearly is to upgrade both the actual services that are available here and the perception of the services here," Cook said.

The challenge is... that takes some resources," he added. "That takes recruitment of certain physicians and staff with certain skills and knowledge."

Murphy spoke about the catalyst project that is being developed at Sebring Regional Airport. A 100-acre site is being targeted for something like a medical device manufacturing company or a medical research facility.

Murphy said that the project is not limited to those things and noted that more than one company could locate there.

Murphy asked the panel if the workforce to staff such a company or a facility is here.

Cook said he thinks it would have to be developed and employees would need to be recruited.

"We have to continue to grow more of our own," he said.

The CEOs were also asked how they attract top doctors.

Mahaffey acknowledged that "it is difficult to recruit here" and noted "it is a constant battle."

It is nothing against Highlands County, he said, but the area doesn't have all the things people want.

"It takes a special person who wants to live in a rural community," he said. "The doctor might want to come, but the spouse doesn't want to come here."

Mahaffey was asked about the school system from grades K through 12. He said doctors want to know what the education system is like and added that what he hears is not always positive feedback.

Cook pointed out that the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Highlands County could help dispel what might be an unfair perception about the local schools. The program offers a rigorous curriculum for high school students.

Pre-IB classes are being taught for a second year now at Sebring High School.

The school district hopes it will be approved to start the IB program for 11th-graders in August 2010.