Mindful Monday: How Gundersen Health System is preparing for rising hospital volumes

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- At the start of every week, our team talks with local experts to unpack a wide range of nationwide health, safety, and wellness topics in the unique context of the Coulee Region.

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New studies are finding that hospital admissions are on the rise and could potentially reach pre-pandemic levels within the next decade.

Monday, Gundersen Health System President, Heather Shimmers spoke with News 8 Now This Morning's Alexandra Carter about what is behind the increase and how the hospital is preparing for the potential rise in hospitalizations.

According to healthcare research firm Kaufman Hall, between April of 2023 and April of 2024 the number of emergency room visits per day rose by 4%, and the number of discharges rose by 6% within that same timeframe.

Schimmers said that the cause for the increase in hospitalizations is multi-faceted and is not narrowed down to one or two things.

"I wish it was a simple easy answer but it's not, it's compounded of multiple things. First being the baby boomers, a very large population of people, about 76 million people in the United States of America are aging and their health needs are growing... we also see post-pandemic, all of those people who delayed their healthcare needs are coming back and those needs have compounded.  And then I think technology, healthcare has gotten smarter and we've gotten stronger in the need for preventative care and care that can get to a disease a little bit faster," said Schimmers.

Another new report by healthcare research firm Sg2 estimated that the increase in hospital admissions is expected to grow across the board within the next decade.

According to the report , the amount of long-term custodial care is expected to increase by 4%, moderate care patients are expected to increase by 9%, patients with a high-acuity diagnosis by 13%, and patients who will require specialized surgeries is expected to grow by 18% between 2024 and 2034.

Schimmers says Gundersen is preparing for the possible increase in hospitalizations by utilizing new the latest in state-of-the-art medical tech and continuing to change with the times.

"We're rising to the occasion by using advances in technology.  We are using technology as a tool, it's not necessarily the only solution. But we also are just continuing to transform. We're transforming, we're looking at healthcare differently than we ever looked before," said Schimmers.

However, Schimmers also emphasized that patients can also adapt to these expected changes by making sure we focus on our personal health.

"Believe it or not healthcare systems don't really want you to come to the hospital, we'd rather keep you out of the hospital by keeping you well and keeping you healthy.  Please schedule your wellness exams, do your preventative care, get your mammograms, get your colonoscopy, do all of those things so we can treat you upstream, and not have to deal with the situation when it gets a little dire. But know that we will have a space for you when those needs arise," said Schimmers.

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