FLORENCE — Health care has traditionally been a recession-proof industry. But before substantial job losses began to plague the Pee Dee in 2009, Carolinas Hospital System began to notice a significant change in use of the hospital in fall 2008, CEO James O’Loughlin said.
AT A GLANCE
Name: Carolinas Hospital System
Established: 1994
Address: 805 Pamplico Highway, Florence
CEO: James O’Loughlin
Employees: 1,700
Specialty: Regional health care
Web: http://www.carolinashospital.com
“Health care has always been a critical service but some of the procedures done in the hospital are somewhat elective services,” he said. “People put off those kind of procedures when there’s an economic downturn.”
After making what O’Loughlin said were appropriate changes to hospital policies, such as making more cautious hiring decisions and only filling critical vacancies, Carolinas has done well in these economically trying times.
“We are much busier this winter than we were last year,” he said.
Despite the difficult economic climate in 2009, Carolinas had an eventful year.
The hospital obtained certification as a chest pain center, which O’Loughlin said is important to this community.
“A lot of our patients come in with cardiac problems,” he said.
Carolinas also opened an urgent care center at Five Points in Florence that serves as more of an industrial clinic and because of its location, is extremely convenient, O’Loughlin said.
But he said maintaining high standards in customer service in tough economic times is what he is most proud of.
“At a time when businesses feel the pressure from the economy, some cut back on important things like customer service,” O’Loughlin said.
He likened admission into Carolinas to checking into a Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The hospital offers room service and a full menu from which patients can choose, which O’Loughlin points out is extremely rare.
“It’s the little things that are important when you’re in the hospital,” he said.
Moving forward, Carolinas seeks to recruit more than 30 new physicians, which would in turn employ about 120 more people in these new offices. This year, the hospital will spend an estimated $4 million upgrading equipment. It also is instituting a new computer system to move toward electronic medical records.
O’Loughlin said Carolinas is always trying to adapt to the changing needs of the community and its 1,700 employees.
“There is a large amount of confidence in the U.S. health-care system,” he said. “This industry will be very stable for years to come.”
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