Mid-Shore Health Care Regionalization Study

On December 16, 2011, the Boards of Directors of Chester River Health and Shore Health authorized a joint exploration of the potential benefits of a regionalized approach to the delivery of health care services for residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties. The Boards began this study with a commitment to continue operating Chester River Hospital, Memorial Hospital and Dorchester General Hospital as inpatient, acute care hospitals.

The Goals of the Regionalization Study include:

• Ensure that our health systems provide the people of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties access to the health care services they need.
• Ensure that the health care services provided by our health systems meet the highest possible standards of clinical quality.
• Ensure that our health systems remain financially sound during a time of unprecedented health care change, which include the continuing shift of patients from inpatient to outpatient settings, the growing challenge of maintaining specialized medical services and facilities in a rural setting, the implementation of national health care reform and changes in how Maryland hospitals are reimbursed for the services they provide.

The study will determine if our health systems are prepared to survive and thrive in the future and will explore the potential benefits of a regionalized approach to providing medical services.

The study committee includes three Board members each from Shore Health and Chester River Health and members of the health systems' management teams. All clinical and non-clinical programs at every facility and location in our health systems will be reviewed by the study committee. A variety of information sources, including insights and ideas obtained from public listening forums that were conducted in every county throughout the Mid-Shore are being utilized by the study committee.

The Regionalization Study Committee's recommendations are expected to be submitted for review by the respective Boards of the Chester River Health System and the Shore Health System by summer 2012.

For more information about the Regionalization Study, please visit midshorehealthcare.org.