Patients and employees of Northwest Health — Porter in Valparaiso are voicing serious concerns about the hospital’s operations and quality of care. Following a recent column highlighting these issues, numerous former patients and current staff reached out, sharing their experiences and frustrations with the healthcare facility.
Dr. Thomas Rohs, the interim CEO of Northwest Health — Porter, acknowledged the challenges the hospital faces. He stated, “The whole idea is to create an environment where you expect and support excellence.” This includes building a competent team and providing the necessary tools for staff to treat patients with empathy and efficiency. Despite these ambitions, many healthcare professionals within the organization feel that the changes are inadequate.
A current employee expressed, “We employees fight to give good care to our patients, and I think we succeed most of the time despite what we have to work with.” This sentiment reflects a broader issue, as staff members have reportedly struggled to engage with multiple new CEOs who promised improvements but delivered little change.
Concerns about Northwest Health’s effectiveness are not new. Since the decision in 2007 to sell the hospital to Community Health Systems, a for-profit corporation, critics have raised alarms about prioritizing profit over patient care. Pat Terrell, a retired healthcare professional from Valparaiso, emphasized the negative impact this has had on the community, stating, “The lack of an effective hospital is a major issue for a growing community like Valparaiso.”
Terrell’s background includes founding Project Neighbors and leading initiatives that address healthcare access for underserved populations. She noted, “There is little oversight on staffing levels and quality of care delivered,” highlighting the challenges faced by uninsured or under-insured individuals seeking care.
The frustrations extend beyond the staff to patients who have reported dissatisfaction with the hospital’s administrative processes. One patient mentioned, “The amount of the exact same paperwork one must fill out each and every time we go to any Northwest Health facility is frustrating.” Dr. Rohs acknowledged these complaints and noted that efforts are being made to enhance the registration system, which received significant investment and aims to streamline patient experiences.
Community Impact and Economic Considerations
The issues at Northwest Health — Porter have a broader impact on the community. According to the Indiana Hospital Association, Indiana hospitals serve approximately 640,000 inpatients and 2.6 million emergency department patients each year. The report also highlights that hospitals contribute over $63 billion to the state’s economy annually through jobs, wages, and local spending.
As the hospital struggles with public perception and operational challenges, the consequences are felt across the region. Employees have expressed concerns about job security, citing fears of layoffs and inadequate staffing levels. “We have blazed through at least four CEOs since the new hospital opened up,” shared a worker at Northwest Health’s sister hospital in LaPorte.
Despite the turmoil, Dr. Rohs remains hopeful about the future, stating, “This environment takes a long time to build.” Nonetheless, the transition has tested the patience of both employees and patients, many of whom feel let down by their healthcare provider.
As the situation unfolds, The Times plans to investigate further into these issues, exploring the intersection of employee concerns, patient experiences, and the challenges faced by healthcare systems in Northwest Indiana.
With ongoing discussions about the state of healthcare in the region, it remains essential for stakeholders to address the critical issues affecting both the quality of care and the operational integrity of facilities like Northwest Health — Porter.
