At the top of the list is, what she calls in typical Reitz-speak, access. Access, access, access. We're all full at the inn. She is talking, of course, about Hopkins' bed shortage, a problem that would make any hospital administrator in the country today green with envy. She has come into her office, as usual, on Saturday to draw up her to-do list for the coming week, and writes it in again.
Beds are at at premium.
Reitz attributes the boom to the institution's various moves to attract patients, everything from repairing relationships with referring physicians to opening up suburban outposts like Green Spring Station to aggressively pursuing international business. George Dover, who's been forced to cancel elective surgeries by the dozens for lack of beds offers an additional explanation. We've looked at how much we cost, and frankly we are between 10 and 30 percent less than comparable children's hospitals in the country. It used to be said that Hopkins was too expensive. But we've shown managed care organizations in very real terms what a bargain they're getting for the level of care we give for sicker patients.