Reid Hospital Governing Board
Vice chair sees Reid as 'civil and collegial'
Howard Deitsch
Challenges ahead
"Being a good board member is more difficult in difficult times," said Howard Deitsch, MD, vice chair of Reid's governing board. A 18-year veteran of the governing board, Dr. Deitsch said, "We now face challenges that are external and beyond our ability to control," referring to the ongoing Medicare/Medicaid shortfall.
Although the hospital remains fiscally sound, the need to provide care to an aging population covered by Medicare demands a new way of looking at business.
"It is very important that we 'right size' and continue our current trend toward resource utilization education," he said.
The only way to manage in these times, he said, is to closely scrutinize our costs and look for new opportunities to bring in revenue.
Dr. Deitsch is positive about the future, however, and impressed at the level of knowledge among governing board members.
"They are well-read, smart business people who have made it a point to learn more about what is going on in health care even though most are not medically oriented."
Reid President Barry MacDowell praised Dr. Deitsch and the unique perspective he offers to the governing board. "He has balanced multiple hats and perspectives very well through the years."
When Howard Deitsch, MD, came to Richmond in 1973 to practice medicine, he was looking for a city close to Cincinnati, but smaller than Cincinnati and with a summer that lasted longer than one week.
The desire to be close to Cincinnati was a return to his roots, where he was born, raised and attended college. The desire to have a longer summer was the request of Suzanne (Sue), his wife, after the couple had spent two years in Michigan's upper peninsula, where Dr. Deitsch first practiced upon graduation from medical school.
Besides a frost on the fourth of July one year, Dr. Deitsch remembered the UP area for its logging, hardscrabble farming and poverty.
Dr. Deitsch became the sixth physician in a group practice when he came to Richmond. Today, one of those physicians, James Royer, MD, remains his partner, and two years ago his son, Andrew, joined the practice.
"If I didn't still enjoy what I'm doing I wouldn't have encouraged my son to go into medicine," Dr. Deitsch said.
As far as his own decision to choose medicine, he said: "I just thought it would be an interesting career."
Although his mother was a nurse, she did not work outside the home when he was growing up.
Dr. Deitsch attended parochial schools and went to college at Xavier University. He completed medical school at the University of Michigan and completed a rotating internship at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati.
Board certified in family medicine, Dr. Deitsch completed his medical training before there was a family practice residency.
Dr. Deitsch was also honored in 1990 as a Humanity in Medicine winner.
As first vice chair of the governing board, Dr. Deitsch not only brings his medical expertise, but experience as Chief of the Medical Staff at Reid. He was a member of the Medical Staff Executive Committee for six years. "When you have the opportunity to serve in a leadership position, you become aware that everything doesn't work as smoothly as you think." He was quick to note, however, that Reid has an "institutional character" of keeping things in the proper channels. "It is civil, collegial and less fractious than some organizations. It doesn't mean that we don't confront problems, but they never get to be disruptive or a barrier to patient care."
Active in St. Mary's Catholic Church and the Circle U Help Center, Dr. Dietsch runs, hikes and plays golf in his spare time.
In addition to Andrew, the Deitschs have two married daughters, Sarah Deitsch, Charleston, South Carolina. and Mary Zinkan, Columbus, Ind. They also have six grandchildren.
