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There is hope. I’ve read Advent is building a small hospital in west Asheville. Certainly, it won’t be on the same level as Mission, but it is an excellent run operation, and will at least give people in Asheville another option. I suspect it will have an ER; Advent near Hendersonville has an excellent ER.
The good thing is that it doesn't have to be as big as Mission. If the Advent hospital can at least lighten the caseload at Mission for some things, that enables the existing staff at Mission to serve fewer patients.
It's shocking that there isn't even a community hospital in the city. Personally, my impression has been that those smaller community hospitals generally do a much better job with routine care because they aren't seeing the sickest patients and the staff generally aren't stretched as thinly.
The good thing is that it doesn't have to be as big as Mission. If the Advent hospital can at least lighten the caseload at Mission for some things, that enables the existing staff at Mission to serve fewer patients.
It's shocking that there isn't even a community hospital in the city. Personally, my impression has been that those smaller community hospitals generally do a much better job with routine care because they aren't seeing the sickest patients and the staff generally aren't stretched as thinly.
Advent is a huge organization - my understanding is they have 50+ hospitals scattered across the U.S. Our experienced with them been extremely positive. We have encountered well-trained, caring staff, including physicians, nurses, CNAs, etc. I’ve been to many hospitals with others in my lifetime, but have never seen what I’ve seen or experienced at Advent. It is a special place indeed. Advent seems to be careful to hire those that fit into the positive, caring culture they’ve created. Training appears to be very well done, as well.
Advent is a huge organization - my understanding is they have 50+ hospitals scattered across the U.S. Our experienced with them been extremely positive. We have encountered well-trained, caring staff, including physicians, nurses, CNAs, etc. I’ve been to many hospitals with others in my lifetime, but have never seen what I’ve seen or experienced at Advent. It is a special place indeed. Advent seems to be careful to hire those that fit into the positive, caring culture they’ve created. Training appears to be very well done, as well.
Advent is good but they have to be in competitive markets like Orlando where they compete with equally excellent Orlando Health. Even in Hendersonville where they have to compete with UNC-Pardee. Handing sole reins to one parent company in Asheville only perpetuates many of the issues found now. If Advent builds the new facility on the south side and takes over Mission, not the best outcome for the region. Perhaps UNC Health will entertain the idea given their presence in Hendersonville, Morganton and Bonne already or Duke Health who already has affiliate hospitals in Waynesville, Bryson City, Sylva and Rutherfordton.
A few long distance observations from Long Island, NY.
I was seriously considering a move to the Asheville region right before Covid. Back then, Mission Hospital had a very good reputation. That was important.
Fast forward to today. In my home town on Long Island, we have two outstanding health care conglomerates, they compete for accolades, and both do a good job with customer service. Yes, it's not easy to get appointments with the best specialists, the emergency rooms are too crowded, and sometimes the support staff at doctor's offices are overworked. But there are lots of medical providers, they do video visits literally on an hour's notice, and my co-pays are minimal. Health care is available, every day, for every malady.
Not sure if this is just a regional thing, but somehow the health care practices on Long Island are thriving. Anyone considering a move to a lower cost region needs to weigh the pros and cons. Still thinking of the Asheville area for many other reasons, but hope the hospital sh*t show improves.
Advent is good but they have to be in competitive markets like Orlando where they compete with equally excellent Orlando Health. Even in Hendersonville where they have to compete with UNC-Pardee. Handing sole reins to one parent company in Asheville only perpetuates many of the issues found now. If Advent builds the new facility on the south side and takes over Mission, not the best outcome for the region. Perhaps UNC Health will entertain the idea given their presence in Hendersonville, Morganton and Bonne already or Duke Health who already has affiliate hospitals in Waynesville, Bryson City, Sylva and Rutherfordton.
We live closer to UNC-Pardee and have been to the their ER multiple times with others. Not impressed at all. The only way I will go there by ambulance is if I’m incoherent and have no other choice.
A few long distance observations from Long Island, NY.
I was seriously considering a move to the Asheville region right before Covid. Back then, Mission Hospital had a very good reputation. That was important.
Fast forward to today. In my home town on Long Island, we have two outstanding health care conglomerates, they compete for accolades, and both do a good job with customer service. Yes, it's not easy to get appointments with the best specialists, the emergency rooms are too crowded, and sometimes the support staff at doctor's offices are overworked. But there are lots of medical providers, they do video visits literally on an hour's notice, and my co-pays are minimal. Health care is available, every day, for every malady.
Not sure if this is just a regional thing, but somehow the health care practices on Long Island are thriving. Anyone considering a move to a lower cost region needs to weigh the pros and cons. Still thinking of the Asheville area for many other reasons, but hope the hospital sh*t show improves.
We moved to WNC from an area with excellent healthcare. Even with a better Mission, IMO, healthcare in this region is not near where it needs to be. The ONLY bright spot in the area is Advent near Hendersonville, IMO. People thinking of moving to the area need to seriously factor this into their decision-making process.
A few long distance observations from Long Island, NY.
I was seriously considering a move to the Asheville region right before Covid. Back then, Mission Hospital had a very good reputation. That was important.
Fast forward to today. In my home town on Long Island, we have two outstanding health care conglomerates, they compete for accolades, and both do a good job with customer service. Yes, it's not easy to get appointments with the best specialists, the emergency rooms are too crowded, and sometimes the support staff at doctor's offices are overworked. But there are lots of medical providers, they do video visits literally on an hour's notice, and my co-pays are minimal. Health care is available, every day, for every malady.
Not sure if this is just a regional thing, but somehow the health care practices on Long Island are thriving. Anyone considering a move to a lower cost region needs to weigh the pros and cons. Still thinking of the Asheville area for many other reasons, but hope the hospital sh*t show improves.
Part of the issue throughout the south-central Appalachian region is a lack of income/jobs/insurance and gold-plated corporate health insurance programs that reimburse hospitals well enough to keep them afloat.
Asheville has had a known problem for years with a lack of professional jobs - the types of jobs that often have good insurance. There are tons of jobs in the tourism/hospitality sectors where benefits are lacking. When those people present to the hospital, the hospital likely isn't going to get paid back for what they have in on that person's care.
The hospital system I worked for had seventeen hospitals when I left in 2023. Of these, only four were profitable. The thirteen that weren't were all small community hospitals in rural areas that were highly dependent on Medicare and Medicaid funding. The others were in the larger cities that had an employment base.
I ended up having a sleep study done last year. The best I can tell - Asheville has three sleep clinics - the one I went to, one that's Mission-affiliated, and a third one. The one I went to had a local PA, but the MD was from outside of Charlotte, and only saw patients here on Fridays and some Saturdays. You'll see a lot of that type of thing here - you'll have Mission offering a "full-service" suite of services, then scattered providers here and there.
We moved to WNC from an area with excellent healthcare. Even with a better Mission, IMO, healthcare in this region is not near where it needs to be. The ONLY bright spot in the area is Advent near Hendersonville, IMO. People thinking of moving to the area need to seriously factor this into their decision-making process.
Potential new residents should also consider however that neither Advent or Pardee are trauma centers. Western NC weirdly only has no level I trauma centers, one Level II trauma center (Mission) and not even a level III.
Potential new residents should also consider however that neither Advent or Pardee are trauma centers. Western NC weirdly only has no level I trauma centers, one Level II trauma center (Mission) and not even a level III.
That designation also has a lot of business requirements tied in. Contracts with medflights to airlift patients outside of ambulance service areas. Certain specialities on-call that see nearly no usage in unscheduled, non-emergent situations, and minimal usage otherwise. If dealing with another health system in the area, some sort of BAA and all the other HIPAA/patient care/infosec formalities have to be in place too.
Much of that level 1 trauma designation really doesn't have that much of an impact on the vast majority of patient care. It does at those extreme edges.
It's concerning at a high level, but knowing that Johnson City Medical Center has a level one trauma center, but is a totally inadequate hospital, I would rather be treated at a level two with better staffing, modality coverage, etc.
I am in the healthcare field and frequently read RN and PT forums on the internet. HCA has a horrible reputation in general.
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