Today was the big day. HCA Healthcare Inc. officially broke-ground on its $1.3-billion, 715,144-square-foot expansion at Good Samaritan Hospital, located on the border of San Jose and Los Gatos.
In an interview with the Los Gatan, Good Sam’s CEO, Patrick Rohan, described it as a really special moment.
“It’s the right time to update the facilities,” he said, noting this is the largest investment HCA has ever made in a single hospital. “It shows that you’re dedicated to the area.”
The project is set to deliver 234 new inpatient rooms (medical/surgical/telemetry – 155, ICU – 22, women’s and children’s services – 57), bringing the overall total to 339 beds. Planners estimate the build will create 1,550 construction jobs, including 750 during the first phase—building a new parking structure.
“We have to build this whole entire hospital while we run the current hospital,” Rohan said, when asked why the garage came first. “We want to be able to accommodate our patients and our staff…When you build the new hospital, you’re going to be laying down a lot of material, a lot of machinery. And a lot of surface parking area gets taken up with all of that equipment.”
That initial step is expected to take about a year, after which comes the central utility plant.
“This all kind of runs parallel to (Highway) 85 in the back of the campus,” Rohan said. “You’ll have the garage first, and then the small building next to it—which is the actual power plant.”
The Los Gatan spoke with Rohan on Monday, as the corporation was riding a wave of positive financial news. Following HCA Healthcare’s third quarter results, KeyBanc had raised its price target for the company from $465 to $475 that very morning. This was connected to supplemental Medicaid program approvals in Tennessee, Kansas and Texas, per investing.com.
The new facilities will deliver 234 new private rooms for patients
These initiatives add $240 million to the company’s bottom line by closing the gap between Medicaid reimbursements and what it actually costs to provide care, Healthcare Dive reported.
Rohan said that, while the new hospital going in here is designed to be more efficient, including by incorporating artificial intelligence into their care model, it’s also something that just has to happen—given the stricter earthquake-safety standards coming into effect via SB 1953.
“At the end of the day it’s a requirement,” he said, adding it will also set the hospital up for its next chapter, including by creating a better environment for patients.
“Every single room is a private suite,” he said, of the beds being created, “Which, to me, is great.”
According to Rohan, the architectural elements—from the color scheme to the artwork—are designed to reflect the broader San Jose region.
(Drew Penner / Los Gatan)
Last month, Randy Fagin, HCA Healthcare’s chief quality officer, outlined the steps the health system has been taking to embrace AI, while appearing on the Advancing Health podcast hosted by Dr. Chris DeRienzo, chief physician executive for the American Hospital Association.
HCA Healthcare teams recently toured GE and DuPont Chemical facilities and visited the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment “to learn scalable, industry-agnostic safety strategies,” an AHA blog about the conversation stated. Areas highlighted for AI integration include nurse staffing, doctor-patient conversations and heart monitoring.
“In emergency departments and inpatient units, HCA Healthcare is piloting ambient-listening AI that captures clinician-patient conversations and generates structured notes that physicians review and finalize,” the piece reads. “In partnership with GE Healthcare, HCA Healthcare is training an AI algorithm to identify key portions of fetal heart rate tracings.”
Rohan said AI will allow doctors to focus more on patient care and less on menial tasks. But, he emphasized, there will always be a human in the loop.
When asked for his position on the Measure A health care tax proposal vote that’s currently underway, Rohan opted not to voice a clear opinion one way or the other. Last week, the Los Gatan reported the County had spent more than a quarter-million dollars on a mailer extolling the virtues of taking action to support the health care system—though without explicitly mentioning the special election by name.
“The voters kind of speak for what the biggest need is for the community,” he said. “To be honest, my hope is that all the health care providers, hospital systems, in the community thrive and do well. And we need that. You never want to see anything other than that. And I think the better we all do, the more support we all have, then we can take care of patients collectively together.
“It’s a team sport, and all hospitals face a lot of challenges from many different sectors. I think it’s a win for everyone when the access is there.”
But, when it comes to the health care fight that’s partially shuttered the federal government—the expiration of Obamacare subsidies—he took a stronger line.
Good Sam: 1,500 temporary jobs will be created by the construction
“That’s a big part of the current conversation right now, with the shutdown and what they’re really focusing on as a critical thing to get done,” he said. “When you look at enhanced premium tax credits, it’s, I think, around 24 million people that would be impacted…Their premiums could double.”
These are people who, in many cases, aren’t aware their health care costs are set to increase significantly, he added.
(Drew Penner / Los Gatan)
“When they go for Open Enrollment, shortly, and they see their new premium, I think it’s going to be pretty alarming for a lot of families and patients, or potential patients,” he said. “It is a cost no matter what. And if a significant cost doubles, that’s challenging. What is that impact? Do some people decide to go without the coverage?”
Good Samaritan wants to see this temporary Affordable Care Act benefit extended, he said, noting it’s something that affects people of all political stripes.
“It’s American health care,” he said. “And we need to ensure people are covered.”
After the ceremony, the Los Gatan caught up with Rohan, who’d just finished posing with a shovel in various photo arrangements.
