Longtime care: An interview with retiring Missouri Delta Medical Center CEO Charles Ancell

Business Today: You've worked at Missouri Delta Medical Center for over 38 years. How has the health care field changed in that time?

Charles Ancell: I think hospitals have always sought to develop a qualified medical staff and then provide them with the appropriate space, personnel and equipment to provide quality health care to their patients. This was true in 1972 and is still true today. What has changed is the vast amount of technology available for patient care. When I started with MDMC, computers were in their infancy and everything was done manually. It's hard to imagine the increase in technology that we have seen in the last 40 years and how it has improved patient care. I'm sure the mission of hospitals will always be the same, but the methods of providing care will be ever changing.

BT: Where do you think health care is going in the future?

CA: I think hospitals have become more patient-oriented in the last few years and there will be an ever increasing effort to maintain patient satisfaction. I think the efforts to provide a better experience for patients will be an ongoing effort. This will be crucial in the upcoming years. I was very proud that our patient satisfaction was at the 97th percentile when I left. We used patient satisfaction as the center of our efforts at the hospital. I think this will continue to increase in importance.

BT: How do you think health care reform will play out in Southeast Missouri and at MDMC?

CA: I wish I knew, but at this point I don't think anyone knows with any degree of certainty the impact on hospitals the health care reform will bring. It could be better because everyone will be insured, but if the amount of reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid is decreased to cover the increased cost it may be very bad. It will be very interesting to see the regulations that will be drafted to implement the new law. Until these are finalized it really is difficult to assess the impact.

BT: Your hospital serves a more rural population than those in Cape Girardeau. What are the greatest needs there?

CA: I really don't think the patient population of MDMC and Cape hospitals is all that different. Our service areas overlap and there is a sharing of patients. We feel reimbursement problems with Medicare and Medicaid patients, which make up a majority of the patients, are of great concern and could be greatly impacted by the new health care law.

BT: What stands out most from your time at the medical center? What achievement or project are you most proud of?

CA: I have been involved with a lot of building programs, but I think what I am most proud of is changing MDMC to an all private-room facility. I think that providing patients with their own private room has been a wonderful thing.

BT: What are your plans for retirement?

CA: No definite plans at this point. I certainly don't intend to get another job. There are a lot of things that need to be done around the house. I really enjoy horticulture and have a lot of maintenance on my plant collection. I haven't had any problems staying busy yet, and I don't anticipate that will change.