SOUTHEAST CONTINUES TO GROW

James Wente, administrator at Southeast Missouri Hospital, says when he adds up all the numbers at the Cape Girardeau hospital, they equal expansion.

In response to a growing number of patients coming to Southeast and a growing number of procedures being performed ranging from open heart surgery to physical therapy, the hospital has unveiled a $30 million expansion plan that will increase the size of the facility by more than 40 percent.

The five-year development plan, to be completed in early 1996, includes three phases.

Phase one: Expansion of the hospital's mechanical building; installation of a 60,000-gallon water reserve system to provide an emergency water supply for the hospital in the event of a natural disaster; construction of a Union Electric substation to meet projected electrical demands of the new construction; and construction of an enclosed, climate-controlled pedestrian corridor linking existing parking structures with the main hospital.

Phase two: Construction of a four-story, 105,00-square-foot clinical services building. This building will be constructed just east of the Harrison Annex.

It will house emergency services; expanded surgery services, including four new operating rooms for cardiothorascic, orthopedic and neurosurgery and expanded outpatient and post-op facilities; expanded radiology services; expanded cardiac catheterization and non-invasive cardiology services; 12 additional intensive care beds; additional laboratory space; and new landing pad and ancillary support services for LifeBeat Air Medical Service.

Phase three: Renovation of vacated emergency and radiology service areas; expansion of the main hospital lobby; expansion of rehabilitation services, GI laboratory and medical records; and construction of additional community education facilities.

The architect for the project is the Christner Partnership of St. Louis.

A 195-car parking garage is now compete on the western edge of the hospital. Wente said the parking garage was a necessary forerunner to new construction because some parking areas east of the hospital will be eliminated when the clinical services addition is built.

Assistant Administrator Richard Meyer said plans for the clinical services building were issued to contractors Feb. 11.

"We expect to receive and open bids from the contractors for the project near the end of March," Meyer said. "If the bids are in line with the architect's and engineer's estimates, construction on the building could begin about the first of June."

The need for this expansion is evident by looking at the numbers, Wente said.

"One of the most exciting things this past year has been the continuation of growth of utilization of hospital services," Wente said.

"There were only two areas where we did not see increased utilization OB and the nursery. In 1990 we delivered 1710 babies. In 1991 we delivered 1597 babies, off about 7 percent."

All other services were on the rise. Wente listed these examples:

Invasive cardiovascular procedures, up 5 percent.

Non-invasive cardiovascular procedures, up 12 percent.

Emergency services, up 10 percent.

Air ambulance flights, up 16 percent.

Surgery, up 4 percent.

Radiology, up 10 percent.

Clinical lab work, up 17 percent.

Respiratory therapy, up 22 percent.

Pharmacy, up 17 percent.

Rehabilitation services, up 11 percent.

"All these increased utilizations point to the need for this hospital to further expand our facility to meet this demand," Wente said.

While he's pleased with the rising numbers, Wente said he is not surprised.

"I think Cape Girardeau has really evolved as a center for health services between St. Louis and Memphis," Wente said.

"When you consider the two hospitals, the depth and strength of the medical community and the other ancillary services here, health care is also a major economic force in Cape Girardeau."

He said Southeast Hospital is drawing patients from a larger area and receives more distant referrals than ever before.

"I think that is a result of the quality of service we provide and the fact that we make our services available to all."

While the hospital is in the midst of a large construction plan, Wente said steps have been taken to help control costs for patients.

"We feel it is our duty to keep charges at the lowest possible level while still maintaining the hospital's financial health," Wente said.

"One of the major concerns we have is over the amount of money we are paid by Medicare."

In 1991, Southeast Hospital filed for a geographical reclassification with Medicare. The hospital was able to show that because of its size the population it serves, it should be classified as urban rather than rural.

Now the hospital is reimbursed at the higher urban rate. "Our reimbursement is more closely aligned to hospitals in St. Louis.

"As a result of that expect Medicare payments in 1992 to be a million dollars more than we otherwise would have seen.

And, Wente said that is good for patients who come to the hospital.

"Medicare is now a little closer to paying what it should. Because of that additional cash flow," Wente said, "we do not have to adjust our rates upward as we otherwise would have had to do.

"We are not just competitive but financially preferable to metro areas."

Last year, the hospital has opened a school of nursing. It developed the Pediatric SPOT, an outpatient pediatric speech physical and occupational therapy center.

"The hospital will continue to focus on wellness and work hardening, cardio-vascular and open heart surgery, neuro sciences and neurosurgery, cancer care, woman care and child care.

Wente said a third neurosurgeon will be moving to Cape Girardeau, probably in July. The surgeon, Charles Chung, will be working with neurological services at Southeast in an effort to pull together different services already available like surgery, diagnostic procedures and rehabilitation.