Seattle Times investigates hospital for pushing high-volume model

A wide-reaching Seattle Times probe into Providence Health’s Swedish Cherry Hill Hospital alleges administrators pushed a “high volume approach” on surgeons, lied to patients about which surgeons would perform their procedure and performed dangerous surgeries when less invasive alternatives were available.

The report, called “Quantity of Care,”  focused on changes made at Cherry Hill after it was added to Providence in 2011, with its net operating revenue increasing by 39 percent in three years thanks to these alleged practices.

Patients provided their own records as evidence. For example, Jeff Sproles spoke to reporters after post-surgery complications he experienced after a spinal fusion procedure because the surgeon had cut too deeply into his throat. By reviewing his records, it was discovered a different surgeon than Sproles had met with, performed most of the procedure.

“Who do I turn to?” Sproles said “There is nobody to go to, to say, ‘This isn’t right, this isn’t fair.’ ”

For more on the investigation, including how Cherry Hill administrators are alleged to have suppressed physicians’ concerns about these practices, click on the link below: