Managers, physicians and employees of the Georgetown University Hospital gathered at the Lombardi Cancer Center Tuesday afternoon to discuss the hospital’s organizational priorities. Georgetown University Hospital President Joy Drass, M.D., and her senior operating team led the informational meeting, which was held in Gorman Auditorium.

Senior Vice President of Operations Joyce Johnson provided attendees with what she called a “report card on the first 90 days.”

“The first 90 days have been enormously exciting here,” Johnson said. The hospital, which has encountered financial instability in past years resulting in losses of more than $200 million, recently began implementing several structural changes that are part of a long-term development plan.

Included in the structural transformation are clinical program changes that involve improvements in cardiovascular surgery, structural renovations of the hospital and better staff training. “We’re hoping to make a better environment for family and employees,” Johnson said.

As far as interventional cardiology is concerned, Johnson said that new laser capabilities, enlarged patient rooms and the addition of a fourth catheterization lab are all planned for the near future. In fiscal year 2000, 850 interventional cardiology surgeries took place. The goal for fiscal year 2001 is 1600.

“[This budget] is sending a very strong message to the marketplace,” Johnson said.

Another problem that the hospital has encountered in previous years has been that of increased patient volume. “Volume brings a challenge. It’s a rocky road to deal with that challenge,” Johnson said.

In order to compensate for the increased volume, the hospital is planning to add another intermediate care unit and 10 additional beds by the end of this year. “We are working very hard now to get back to 535 beds – our original bed compliment,” Johnson said.

To further deal with this problem, Johnson spoke about Blue Ribbon Recruitment, a program that has been extremely successful in recruiting employees since July. Johnson said that from July 1 to Oct. 1, 2000 the hospital has filled 398 out of 450 employee vacancies. “I can’t underscore the phenomenal success of this effort. We were hiring during the worst time of the year to hire,” she said.

Chris Swearingen, member of the senior operating team, also outlined the results of strategic planning focus groups that met in June. The purpose of the focus groups, which were composed of the hospital staff, was to enable employees to voice their opinions concerning the hospital.

Participants discussed the hospital’s comparative strengths and weaknesses, focusing on what could be done to set the hospital apart from competing institutions. Among the strengths mentioned by the staff were the hospital’s Catholic mission, its high level of specialization and its affiliation with an academic institution, the strength of the Cancer Center and its multicultural work force.

Swearingen demonstrated enthusiasm for the effectiveness of the focus groups and said that the hospital plans to hold them again. “It’s a very exciting process. I think you’ll find it’s a very good basis to plan our future,” she said to attendees.

While the focus of Tuesday’s gathering was on structural transformations, Drass concluded the meeting with a shift in topic.

“While we’re looking at structural changes, we’ve also been very busy with media contacts to get the Georgetown name out,” she said. A video entitled “Georgetown University Hospital in the News,” which highlighted the hospital’s recent television appearances, was shown. The video showed excerpts from stories on CNN, FOX, ABC and NBC.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, the hospital demonstrated high aspirations and a general enthusiasm for the changes to come. “We are sending a strong message that we believe in the future of Georgetown and are ready to move on aggressively.” Johnson said. “[The hospital] is back and we’re committed to it.”

This summer, the university board of directors finalized plans to hand over the control of the Georgetown Medical Center’s clinical enterprises to MedStar Health, a non-profit Columbia, d.-based company that operates seven D.C. area hospitals. Under the terms of the agreement, MedStar is responsible for the operation of the hospital, which university officials have blamed for financial losses upwards of $100 million over the last several years. The university will continue to operate the Med Center’s educational and research branches.