Galichia Heart Hospital Lowers Cost of Bypass to $10K

Quality Cardiology Center Seeks End to Soaring Health Costs

Joseph P. Galichia, MD

WICHITA, Kansas, Feb. 26, 2008 -- The Galichia Heart Hospital, one of the leading cardiology treatment centers in the United States, announced that it will now charge a flat fee of $10,000 for one of the most common types of open heart surgery, coronary bypass, according to a story in the Wichita Eagle published this week. "After carefully studying our costs and reviewing our social responsibilities, the board of directors has taken careful aim at rising U.S. healthcare costs by offering an eighty percent reduction in the cost of open heart surgery to a world-class rate," said Steve Harris, hospital chief executive.

"About five of every 1000 people need open-heart surgery every year, so a community this size, produces roughly 2000 procedures annually," Harris said. Surgeons at the Galichia Heart Hospital perform about 200 open-heart surgeries a year. Candidates for the flat-fee surgery will be examined and screened to be sure they have not previously had the same operation.

"The entire world is worried about the cost of healthcare and as we analyzed what we could do in our arena, we found that with good management, a low degree of complications, predicated on safety and experience, we could change the challenge the number one killer at an affordable cost," said Galichia Heart Hospital founder, Joseph P. Galichia, MD, FACC.

The insurance companies are intrigued, particularly Blue Cross, the state of Kansas' largest insurer, according to a spokesperson. "We're not an in-network provider but we're challenging them to rethink their contracting strategies," Harris added," and we don't have to wait for national healthcare legislation to pass. We've just done it."

SOURCE: The Galichia Heart Hospital