Asante Ashland Community Hospital Unveils New Strategic Growth Plan
ASHLAND, Ore. — A new strategic plan to grow the Asante Ashland Community Hospital in Medford has been unveiled by the CEO, Brandon Mencini.
The new strategy plan follows discussions with more than 100 community stakeholders and months of planning.
The Focus is on Inpatient Services
To keep abreast of growing needs, the plan focuses on inpatient services. Mencini says there is a growing demand for non-intensive treatments that do not require the more complex services available 13 miles afield at the Rogue Regional Medical Center.
The Asante Ashland Community Hospital will invest in outpatient surgical services with the introduction of new surgical specialities, the recruitment of additional surgeons, and an investment in equipment.
The hospital’s Emergency Department cares for thousands of patients annually and by maintaining the expertise needed to treat people in an accessible environment and providing seamless transitions to treat more people close to home, is core to the plan, says Mencini.
The community hospital will also invest in imaging technology to provide faster access to outpatient diagnostic services.
Another aspect is to increase the capacity of the Family Birth Center. Mencini says Asante will recruit a board-certified OB GYN and update the unit.
“We look forward to investing in these strategic initiatives to better serve our patients,” said Mencini, adding that the strategic plan will align with the community growth priorities of Ashland.
Asante Employs 6,000 People and Cares for 600,000 Oregon and California Residents
Asante is a locally owned nonprofit health facility that employs 6,000 people caring for the needs of nearly 600,000 people in a nine-county area of southern Oregon and northern California.
Asante includes Ashland Community Hospital, Asante Physician Partners, Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass, and additional healthcare locations throughout the region.
Mencini explained that by meeting with more than 100 stakeholders including physicians, nurses, community members, and business leaders, Asante could prioritize community needs.
The CEO said the overall vision was to provide focused in-patient and surgical care, and accessible emergency and diagnostic services.
Mencini said that Rogue Regional treats major trauma injuries, strokes, and heart attacks, while Ashland Community Hospital provides inpatient and surgical care with accessible emergency and diagnostic services for lower-acuity cases.
Two long-standing employees have been appointed as Director of Operations and Director of Nursing to lead hospital teams.
Mencini said Asante Ashland has also recently invested in the operating rooms because surgical services are a key priority.