Frequently Asked Questions: UMHS inpatient services at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital

1.    Q. What does this initiative mean for UMHS patients?

A.    The University of Michigan Health System is expanding its existing inpatient services at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital. This opens up more opportunities for UMHS patients in western Washtenaw County to receive inpatient services from U-M physicians at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital. UMHS patients who choose this option will be admitted to Chelsea but their care will be coordinated by UMHS Family Medicine physicians.

2.    Q: What is UMHS’s relationship with St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital?  

A: UMHS has had an excellent, strong relationship with St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital. The expanded partnership is part of the broader affiliation between UMHS and Trinity Health-Michigan.  St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital is a Trinity hospital. This is an example of how two strong health systems with excellent care can work together to improve utilization of health care resources and improve the patient experience.  We continue to explore similar partnerships.

3.    Q. Who is this service for?

A.    This service is offered mainly for the convenience of our patients in western Washtenaw County who travel from farther communities such as Chelsea, West Ann Arbor, Saline, Briarwood, Dexter and Pinckney. This service will allow these patients to receive inpatient care from U-M physicians in a location closer to home instead of commuting to UMHS’s main medical campus.

4.    Q. What UMHS services are offered at SJMCH ?  

A: Inpatient care for adult patients who need to be admitted to the hospital. Services include emergency care and adult hospitalization for general medical conditions, such as chest pains, shortness of breath, pneumonia and other infections.

5.    Q. What services are not offered?

A: Among services that will not be offered are pediatric services, OB/GYN and advanced cardiac and ICU services.

6.    Q. If I choose to go to SJMCH , will my care still be provided by UMHS physicians?

  A: UMHS physicians who work at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital will still provide the inpatient care and will facilitate the transition back to your primary care and specialty doctors.

7.    Q. If I choose to go to CCH, how will I find UMHS Family Medicine services?

A. When you arrive at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital, simply identify yourself as a UMHS patient and let staff know you are seeking inpatient services with UMHS Family Medicine.

8.    Q. How will my primary care provider be involved with my care?

A: The UMHS physician who provides your inpatient care at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital will be in communication with your current primary care physician. Upon discharge from the hospital, your follow up care will be continued by your current physician.

9.    Q. How will I know if SJMCH is the right option for me?

A: We encourage you to discuss this service with your primary health care provider. Your physician will help you to evaluate whether U-M inpatient care at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospitalis an appropriate option for you based on your personal medical history and the illness that requires an admission.  It is possible that a patient might be appropriate for SJMCH for one admission but might also need specialized services during a different admission.

10.    Q. If I live in western Washtenaw County does that mean I can no longer receive care at University Hospital?

A.    No, patients who prefer to receive their care at University Hospital will continue to be able to choose this option.
 
11.    Q. I’m a UMHS patient who already receives services at SJMCH . Has anything changed? 

A: This new relationship is about providing options for patients who might enjoy the convenience of SJMCH but did not want to discontinue care with the UMHS. UMHS’s expanded inpatient services in Chelsea are part of an effort to better use local health care resources in Washtenaw County and offer more patients convenient care.

12.    Q. How many UMHS patients currently receive care at SJMCH ?

A: There are over 600 patients cared for each year on the Family Medicine service, however many other UMHS patients receive care in the ER, operating rooms and with other specialists at Chelsea.

13.    Q. How many UMHS physicians provide services in SJMCH and what days are they available?

A.  UMHS physicians provide services in St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.