Crowd(ed) favorite: New hospital, clinic impress residents
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Attendees of the first day of a 2-day open house at the new St. Mary's Hospital crowd into Town Square that connects the hospital and clinic on Saturday.
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Tour members get a first look at the new 128 slice CT scan at the new St. Mary's Hospital during a 2-day open house on Saturday.
JANESVILLE — It’s safe to say Janesville has been eager to see its new hospital and clinic.
Thousands attended the first of two public open houses Saturday afternoon at St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and Dean Clinic-Janesville East at the southeast corner of Highway 11 and Interstate 90/39.
The event continues this afternoon.
“It’s so big and nice,” said Niki Alt of Janesville. “I’m sure they will be attracting a lot of people.” Alt stopped by the clinic after a Saturday morning shift at Blain’s Farm & Fleet. She will get health care at the Dean clinic and wanted to see where everything was, she said.
So did everyone else in Rock County, it seemed. The 700-stall parking lot was full by 2 p.m., and extra visitors parked across the road at the Farm & Fleet warehouse.
Visitors stood elbow-to-elbow in the Town Square, the large airy lobby, for an early afternoon dedication ceremony. From there, some settled into tables in the bistro area of Town Square. Others filed, hour after hour, through the clinic and hospital. Regularly, the murmur of the crowd was punctuated by the shouts or squeals of old friends seeing each other for the first time in years.
Families and people of all ages filed through the building, although a slight majority were in their 60s or older. The crowd included a smattering of local elected officials, business owners, teachers and other familiar faces.
Some, like Karen and David Speth, were touring their children’s new workplace.
The Speths live in Milton and were long-time Janesville residents. Their daughter, Kimberly Brooks, is a registered nurse in psychiatry, Speth said. Brooks lives in Janesville and has been commuting to Madison for work.
“She’s going to love not making that drive,” Karen Speth said.
Speth didn’t hesitate when asked about her favorite part of the new health care facility.
“My daughter’s office!” she said happily.
One of the most popular spots for visitors was the touch-screen kiosks in the waiting rooms on the three floors of the Dean clinic. Visitors crowded around as Dean employees showed them how they would be able to check in without waiting in line for a receptionist.
Another popular feature was, of course, the enormous fish tanks in the waiting rooms.
Ellen Ward of Janesville found a break from the crowd in a chair near the hospital gift shop.
“It’s just lovely,” Ward said of the new building.
Ward said her favorite feature of the new facility was the oncology center. She was impressed that it has a separate entrance from the rest of the hospital and clinic as well as pretty outdoor views for patients in treatment.
“You’re not feeling good when you get chemo,” Ward said. “It’s so nice that people won’t have to walk through the whole building to get treatment.”
She wasn’t the only one who was impressed. Many visitors on Saturday remarked how neat it was that patients will be able to sit outside for chemotherapy in nice weather.
From the comfort of her armchair, Ward watched the crowd parade by.
“For Janesville to get a whole new facility from the ground up,” she said. “That’s really something.”
IF YOU GO
What: Community open house at Dean Clinic Janesville East and St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital.
When: 1 to 4 p.m. today. A time capsule will be sealed at 2 p.m. Snacks will be available.
Where: 3400 E. Racine St., Janesville.
Parking: In the front of the building. Shuttle service is available.
What to wear: Comfortable shoes for walking.
What to bring: New or gently used children’s or young adult books for donation to the YWCA and The Salvation Army.
Dec 6, 2011 at 1:32 p.m.
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Two years ago I had a knee replacement surgery. I checked the costs at Mercy and St. Mary's . The same exact procedure cost $48,000 at Mercy and $18,000 at St. Mary's. Guess where I had it done. I have seen reports that Mercy charges 25% more than any other hospital in southern Wisconsin, so I bet the bills will be lower at the new hospital.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:58 p.m.
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I am thrilled with the opening of St. Mary's Hospital! At last we have the chance to go to a great facility and not forced to patronize the Mercy mess. I am disgusted by the Mercy Board and Mr. Bea continually remodeling, expanding, advertising everywhere when that money could be used for better pay for staff and health care. Don't let the Mercy system fool you - they are NOT there for you.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:36 p.m.
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MBHammer,
You can negotiate. Or you can choose to do what too many already choose: to let your neighbor pay for your inability to provide for your own medical care.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:28 p.m.
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I have used both Dean and Mercy clinics. The bill from Dean was quite a bit higher for the same services. ($168 and $212) I don't know that the care was any different. Mercy has a new Siemens CT scanner, practically the same as the new hospital. Pretty spiffy new MRI machine at Mercy also. And they only cost $3,600 to use...
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:25 p.m.
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Sorry for the double post. My internet connection is slow this afternoon.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:23 p.m.
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bebe53: Granted Mercy may have electronic medical records (Dean Health was the first) the clinics DO NOT share their test results with the hospital and they WILL be repeated, and your insurance company WILL be billed for both.
Also, if I had to be transfered to another facility, it would NOT be Mercy: I as the patient have the right to choose where I am treated, not Mercy. I would much rather go to St Marys hospital in Madison than either Mercy Hospital or even UW Hospital.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:22 p.m.
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@mathchat-sorry to disappoint you but the Mercy clinics and Mercy Hospital DO share all lab and test results and are readily available on their EMR-and if you have insurance-sorry it is not you who makes the determination where you will be transferred it is your insurance carrier.Sounds like you need to become more educated-just saying.........
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:16 p.m.
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bebe53: Granted Mercy may have online medical records (Dean Health was the first) the clinics DO NOT share their tests with the hospital and ALL tests WILL be repeated. Secondly, if I had to be transfered to a trauma center, Mercy would NOT be my first choice (as the patient I get to choose where I go, not Mercy): I would rather go to St. Marys in Madison than either Mercy Hospital or even UW Hospital.
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:04 p.m.
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6824, there is a difference between working FOR Mercy and working AT (i.e. having privileges at) Mercy. I imagine a major motivation here is to not have Dean revenue going to support a competitor. Those Dean doctors will now be able to support a partner facility instead.
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Mercy, I am sure, has a pretty good idea of the dollar amount of business that is going to shift, just by pulling their own records.
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I think it's a bit silly how far people go to differentiate what statistics show are both generally good places to work and good places to be treated.
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:38 p.m.
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mathchat-you are obviously ignorant and ill-informed on several fronts-
Mercy has had a computerized medical record in place and therefore lab/xray/tests are also available throughout the system.
If you are complaining of chest pain and there is concern about possible MI,etc-there is not a responsible facility out there that would let you drive yourself to the hospital-not from a patient care standpoint and certainly not from a medical-legal standpoint
Also-the Dean facility is not a recognized level 2 trauma center and there are a large number of conditions that they will not be able to treat-and guess where those patients are most likely to be transferred?
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:23 p.m.
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MKS2008 - You do realize that most of the Dean doctors currently work at Mercy right?
Dec 5, 2011 at 12:39 p.m.
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MBHammer: As a matter of fact, I think people WILL be impressed with the bill. Dean Health Systems was the first major health care facility in the area to use online medical records. This totally eliminates the need for paper records and the tons of file space to store them, the personnel to file them, etc. Also the fact that Dean Health and St. Marys share resources means that if you have a test done at the clinic it doesn't have to be redone at the hospital, as is the case with Mercy. That doubles the cost to your insurance company (if you are lucky enough to have coverage) which in turn increases the premium rates for yourself and the company you are lucky enough to work for. PLUS, if you go to urgent care because of shortness of breath, chest pains, etc., you will not have to endure a $400 ambulance ride to the hospital since the hospital is right there. I should know: been there done that. Went to Mercy East urgent care several years ago. Told me I had to go to the hospital. They said I couldn't drive myself but had to wait for an ambulance to take me. MAJOR costs, MAJOR duplication of sevices and tests. Medical diagnosis will be done faster and more accurately due to the fact the clinic and hospital work together for the benefit of the patient. I and my family look forward to January 9th 2012!
Dec 5, 2011 at 10:14 a.m.
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People won't be impressed with the bill.
Dec 5, 2011 at 9:59 a.m.
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"It says a lot about MERCY's lack of quality when a city is this excited for a new hospital"
I don't think it is that. Many have Dean care and now wont have to travel so far to be covered!
Dec 5, 2011 at 9:58 a.m.
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There must have been free food.
Cannot get that many from the city out for our local events that go on around here!!!!
Example- plays, home tours, music events.
Dec 5, 2011 at 9:11 a.m.
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It says a lot about MERCY's lack of quality when a city is this excited for a new hospital. If Mercy was as great as they advertise, there wouldn't even be enough interest in a new hospital to build one. Patients that are satisfied with their care would find themselves ignoring the new hospital and remaining loyal to the health care they already receive. But, since most of us in this city HATE MERCY and everything they do, we are thrilled for a new hospital. We are excited to give this place a chance to restore our faith in healthcare since Mercy has ripped that security away from us!!!
Dec 5, 2011 at 9:02 a.m.
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Sorry to say this, BUT, all the frills & extravagant, expensive accoutrements, do NOT do anything to improve ones health. No wonder health care costs so much.
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