Transition of Eagle Emergency Department to a Neighborhood Hospital
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a neighborhood hospital?
A neighborhood hospital includes an emergency department (ED) plus space for short stay and
low-acuity patients, and ambulatory space based upon market need. The second floor of the
Eagle ED will host beds for the short stay, low-acuity patients.
Why are we transitioning our Eagle emergency department to a neighborhood hospital?
A neighborhood hospital provides emergency care closer to the communities they serve. With
ED use higher in Boise, this facility in Eagle will help with high census numbers with beds for
short stay, low-acuity patients on the second floor.
When will this transition occur?
With remodeling to be done on the second floor, plans and permits will be needed before work
can start. Architects and others will be visiting the facility to design a functional workplace and
good patient floor for short stay patients. The Eagle facility will likely be transitioned by the
end of 2017.
Will this location be managed by Emerus, like our Nampa facility?
This will be another joint venture with Emerus, a company that has experience in other markets
with facilities like this. They will manage the facility, hire providers and staff, and contract for
physician services.
What will happen to the Saint Alphonsus colleagues at this location?
We value all of our colleagues and want them to stay with Saint Alphonsus at one of our
facilities. However, we understand someone may want to remain at the Eagle location. Under
the joint venture agreement, staffing at the neighborhood hospital will be under Emerus and
colleagues are free to interview with them for positions. Our Human Resources department
has worked out a seamless transfer if any colleagues are hired by Emerus for when the facility
opens. Our goal is to provide opportunities and options for all colleagues, and we want both
facilities to be successful and staffed with quality providers.
Why is this neighborhood hospital being operated as a joint venture?
Emerus was established in 2006 and currently operates 17 facilities in Texas, Colorado, and
Nevada. They have over 20 other facilities in or near development. Emerus has demonstrated
the ability to efficiently operate neighborhood hospitals in alignment with population health,
and we wanted to leverage their operational expertise. We have reviewed their patient
satisfaction and quality scores, and they are excellent. In fact, the past three years Emerus was
a Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award recipient for Superior Patient Experience.
How was Emerus selected as our partner?
They were selected after significant research and discernment. We were looking for the best
partner for this project and Emerus was the top company to meet our needs. They are very
experienced with this model, and have partnered with other Catholic health systems. Their goal
is to achieve the Triple Aim of improving the experience of care, improving the health of
populations, and reducing the cost of care.
Will trauma care be provided in the new neighborhood hospital?
Trauma centers are regionally designated by the state – so all serious trauma care will still be
handled at the only Level II trauma center in the region – Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical
Center on Curtis Road. That facility has the proper equipment and space to handle a trauma.
EMS providers are highly trained on how to identify patients that may need trauma services,
and will continue to provide transport to the facility with the most appropriate level of care
services. Patients who arrive at the neighborhood hospital via private vehicles will be assessed
and then treated at the appropriate location.
Will our SARMC emergency department be moving to this joint venture management
arrangement as well?
No, all of our hospital-based emergency department locations will remain solely under Saint
Alphonsus management.
How will the Eagle facility be branded and operated?
There will not be any change to the look of the current facility and it will continue to operate
consistent with our mission and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care
Services. A patient entering the facility will not notice any difference compared to another
wholly-owned Saint Alphonsus facility. However, this emergency department will be operated
by Emerus employees and they will contract for physician services.
What remodeling will be done at this facility and will it temporarily close?
The second floor of the facility will be remodeled to add eight short stay inpatient beds. It is
unlikely that the facility will need to close, but further discussions will be held with the
contractor selected for the project.
Will this facility still be in-network and part of the Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance?
The neighborhood hospital will be in-network and part of the Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance.
How will the quality of care be measured at the neighborhood hospital?
There are 10 quality metrics built into the contract and the facility will be evaluated similarly to
our own emergency departments. As we looked into their operations it was very clear that
quality is a top priority in their facilities.
Who is in charge of patient care at the neighborhood hospital?
The neighborhood hospital will have a board-certified emergency physician at the facility. For
inpatient care, hospitalists will have that responsibility.
How will cost of care at the neighborhood hospital compare to a hospital ED?
This facility is designed to handle emergency care and, like our full service hospital emergency
departments, will be staffed and stocked to handle whatever comes through the door.
Emergency service costs at the neighborhood hospital will be similar to the cost of care at
another ED. What this facility does provide is care closer to home for emergencies with 24/7
access, a shorter door to doctor time, and allows us to expand emergency services while
providing the right care at the right time at the lowest cost possible.
How will the lab and radiology departments be affected?
This neighborhood hospital will have lab and radiology to serve the emergency services
population on the first floor, same as to what is currently in place.
How will support services be provided at the neighborhood hospital?
All support services will be provided by the joint venture.
Will IEP/CEP be staffing the new ED?
IEP/CEP is a great partner of Saint Alphonsus and we are hoping they will staff the new
neighborhood hospital. Emerus is currently in negotiations with them.
Why not just change the Eagle ED to an Urgent Care facility?
We want people to know that our services in this area can be accessed 24 hours per day, 7 days
per week. Emergent health issues don't just happen during the day, and urgent care centers
are not open 24 hours. Urgent care centers remain a cost-effective option for mild to moderate
conditions, whereas emergency rooms maintain a higher level of care for more serious
conditions. Plus this facility will have short stay inpatient beds for lower acuity patients.