Hospital plans to serve Lake Travis area for years to come

Interim CEO Joyce Grove Hein took the reins of Lakeway Regional Medical Center on Jan. 20, nearly a month after former CEO David Kreye resigned to take a job with Houston-based University General Health System.

She said the next step for the hospital, 100 Medical Parkway, Lakeway, is to take what it has learned during its first two years and look at what consumers need for the next five years.

"When I get to a hospital, I look at how it is organized," said Hein, who typically spends five to six months in an interim CEO position. "We give good care here, and that's important. When you look at all the statistics and grades, we've got the numbers to rival the big boys downtown."

However, Hein said the hospital wasn't without areas in need of improvement. She said the billing and collections department of the hospital needs to have a more consistent feel.

"We want people to know that if they have concerns [about their bill] they can call, and we can help solve the problem," she said. "We are going to see if we can rise above the missteps of the past, and fixing billing issues is high on that agenda. We have heard the complaints, and we understand."

Future of the hospital

LRMC has been in discussion with UGHS about the possibility of a merger or an outright purchase, but talks have stalled and Hein said that while the possibility of a buyout exists, it is something every hospital discusses frequently.

"A number of hospitals are involved in those types of discussions," Hein said. "The first five years of any business are tough, and we've had our rough parts. We understand that we have to be open to opportunities and to organizations that are compatible with us. It could be very beneficial."

Competition

Hein said hospitals discuss mergers and partnerships as a way to keep costs down, rather than entering into head-on competition, which could raise costs.

"Sometimes that head-on competition can raise prices for patients," she said. "You have these hospitals competing for scarce resources such as doctors, and you are crunched to fill those spots."

Collaboration and networking allows for hospitals to share resources such as doctors and expensive medical equipment, she said.

"Sure we compete when we have to, but it is beneficial to have those working relationships," she said. "If we have the opportunity to collaborate we can have access to tertiary facilities we wouldn't otherwise have. We do that so the patient gets the benefit of that relationship."

Moving forward

Hein said she is excited for what the hospital will see going forward, and changes with the Affordable Care Act and the way billing is handled will be challenges for the hospital.

"It is a good year for the board to sit down and do some long-term strategic planning," she said.

Hein said that no matter what changes happen in the future the hospital has no plans of going anywhere.

"We want to be here for the long haul," she said. "We may have different relationships, we may look different, but we are not going anywhere."

Hein said she will also assist the hospital's board in search of a permanent CEO.

Hein: Changes won't slow campus construction

Joyce Grove Hein, Lakeway Regional Medical Center interim CEO, said the recent change of CEO at the hospital won't have any bearing on construction on the surrounding campus.

The Harbor at Lakeway is under construction on the campus. The independent-living facility will have 130–150 units and will have 110 units of assisted-living apartments, and 40 private studios for Alzheimer's disease and dementia patients.