Broward's Heart Center of Extravagance
Time was when open heart surgery and cardiac caths were as hot as super-sized SUVs at the Lauderdale Yacht Club – thanks to the obscene hospital profits generated by the high risk procedures.
Which is why – ala the fabled Field of Dreams – North Broward Hospital District officials poured millions of dollars into a glittering new “state of the art” Heart Center of Excellence at Broward General Medical Center believing if they built it, hundreds of new paying heart patients would come.
Trouble is, backyard ballfields in an Iowa cornfield ain't the same as a $163 million hospital expansion at Broward's oldest safety net hospital for the poor.
Especially when it comes to hustling up hordes of wealthy new heart patients.
For example, in selling bonds for their hospital expansion back in 2000, North Broward Hospital officials predicted:
One – The Broward General expansion would cost $137 million, however the actual cost was more than $163 million).
Two – By 2007, the Heart Center of Excellence would see 401 open heart patients go under the knife at Broward General. However the actual number was 249 (152 patients less).
Three – Again, the Heart Center would generate 3,194 cardiac cath procedures by 2007. However their actual number was 1,532 (less than half the projected amount.)
Four – Grateful Millionaire patients would offset the cost of the Heart Center with some $35 million in donations personally raised by the Heart Center's Director Dr. Michael Chizner himself. However, the actual amount donated to the Heart Center appears to be less than $6 million (nearly half what the District paid Chizner during the past ten years).
Five – Finally, the expansion would enable Broward General to bury its hospital competition in a battle for more lucrative heart patient BOBs (Buns On Beds). However that's hardly happened.
So...
What did the tax-supported health care conglomerate did get in return for its $163 million expansion?
Heart-wise, ad more than zilch.
Because new and more effective drugs and far less invasive procedures have combined to reduce the demand for yesterday's lucrative -- but high risk -- open heart heart operations and cardiac caths.
But more sobering and expensive are Broward General's shattered dreams of a victorious heart patient jihad.
Just consider the startling OOPS Factor for Broward General based on the vexing open heart patient trends for the past ten years.
Open Heart Operations 1998 2008 % change
North District Market
Broward General 441* 264 (40%) *BC - Before Chizner
Cleveland Clinic 0 156 New Program
Florida Medical 648 253 (60%)
Holy Cross 637 503 (21%)
North Ridge 882 7 (99%)
Westside 0 271 New Program
Private Competition 2,167 1,190 44%
South District Market
Memorial Regional 889 427 (52%
Then, we have the equally vexing trends in cardiac cath visits:
Cardiac Caths 1998 2008
North District Market
Broward General 3,131* 2,040 (35%) *BC - Before Chizner
Imperial Point 250 0 To BGMC
North Broward 502 0 To BGMC
North District Total 3,883 2,040 (47%)
Cleveland Clinic 584 1,055 81%
Florida Medical 3,419 1,758 (49%)
Holy Cross 1,913 2,204 15%
North Ridge 2,701 54 (98%)
Northwest 0 584 New Program
Plantation 84 0 Closed
University 369 0 Closed
Westside 394 1,720 366%
Private Competition 9,095 5,617 (38%)
South District Market
Memorial Regional 2,666 3,861 45%
Memorial Pembroke 187 0 Closed
Memorial West 695 788 15%
South District Total 3,548 4,649 31%
Hollywood Medical 762 0 Closed
Private Competition 762 0 No Mas
NOTE: Imagine the horrendous decline in cardiac caths at the Broward Heart Center of Excellence – if District officials had not shifted their heart cath business from Imperial Point and North Broward to Broward General
Sources:
North Broward Hospital District Bond Insurer Presentation February 2000
Broward Regional Health Planning Council
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