The Knox County Chamber of Commerce hosted its latest installment of the “State of…” series this week, focusing on the State of Healthcare.

During Wednesday’s lunch gathering, Rob McLin, CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, provided an in-depth overview of the challenges facing healthcare in Knox County and  strategies  to address them.

McLin emphasized the hospital’s commitment to remaining independent, dispelling rumors of a merger with Deaconess, while highlighting partnerships with major health systems like Deaconess and IU Health to enhance services.

McLin addressed financial strains from rising costs, declining reimbursements, and narrow margins, likening the hospital’s situation to a hardware store forced to sell products below cost due to varying insurance rates. He stressed the importance of collaboration to improve healthcare affordability without sacrificing quality or access.

“We were one of the initial members of the Indiana Business Health Collaborative. It’s a group of statewide Hoosier employers and providers that have worked together to focus on lowering the cost of health care without jeopardizing quality or access. And those are really key,” McLin said. “We can talk all day about how to become cheaper, but cheaper doesn’t make better. And you cannot make mistakes in health care. So you have to be high quality if you’re going to expect people to want to come to your hospital and trust you.”

McLin also pointed out the rising costs of healthcare in Indiana, which often fall on patients due to high-deductible insurance plans. He discussed ways to address these issues, including direct contracting with employers, value-based care models, and efforts to reduce the physician shortage through local residency programs. He says improving health outcomes and accessibility remains a top priority for Good Samaritan Hospital.