Riverside Smithfield Hospital President Jessica Macalino said she is not worried about the competition entering the region.
Ms. Macalino leads Newport News, Va.-based Riverside Health System’s fifth hospital, a $300 million facility that opened Jan. 6. She spoke to Becker’s about early learnings and how her hospital fits into the community.
While national players Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health have been expanding their footprints in the state, Ms. Macalino views their interest in the region as a positive.
“There’s always going to be that competitive dynamic in healthcare. I don’t think that’s ever going to go away,” she told Becker’s. “I truly believe that there’s plenty to go around for all of the health systems that are investing in these communities.”
Ms. Macalino said emergency departments and hospitals have been reaching capacity, especially amid a steep respiratory disease burden this winter. Riverside Smithfield had only expected 25 to 30 patients per day in the emergency department but has since trended at an average of 50, highlighting the demand. Her team has been leaning on systemwide resources and will continue monitoring patterns to address future needs.
Even as a new entrant, Ms. Macalino said the estimated times of arrival for emergency responders have gone down relative to what the system’s hospitals experienced prior to Riverside Smithfield opening. Times often range five to 20 minutes, versus 30 minutes to one hour, she said.
Ms. Macalino said the people are Riverside Smithfield’s advantage, and the hospital has been pivoting to retention given the competitive landscape.
“We do know that this is a very competitive environment, so people do have a choice, especially with how high in demand these medical professions are right now. They can go wherever they want to go,” she said. “We don’t [want to] lose that excitement of wanting to work here.”
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