Add-on forgone to cut child care facility cost
With the hopes of reducing the cost of a proposed child care facility and speeding up fundraising efforts, the board of East Phillips County Hospital District took action on the topic at their regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 23.
When the Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative first began planning a child care center to be located north of Melissa Memorial Hospital, there was an idea to include extra space in the facility that could be rented by MMH as some sort of medical clinic.
However, that extra piece drove up the cost to build the child care center and even required an extra chunk of land to accommodate a larger facility. The land was being donated by MMH.
On Tuesday, the board formally approved a motion indicating MMH no longer wants space in the child care facility for a clinic. Board members also approved reducing the amount of land offered to the project, bringing it back to the original one-block donation.
Woodhead recognized
MMH CEO Cathy Harshbarger presented board member Mike “Woody” Woodhead with a plaque at Tuesday’s meeting to thank him for his service to the board. Woodhead has resigned from his position because of plans to move from the community, and Tuesday was his last regular meeting on the board.
In her administrator report, Harshbarger announced that Dr. J.D. Bailey has been named chief of staff, with Derek Doorn, FNP, as vice chief of staff. She showed appreciation for Dr. Kevin Cuccinelli and Lane Looka, FNP, for their previous work in those positions.
Harshbarger was pleased to report that Centennial Mental Health will start seeing patients through telehealth March 5, with the goal to have in-house appointments in the future. She said that behavioral health services have been a priority for MMH for a long time and she’s glad to finally have something in place.
The CEO presented results from a recent employee engagement survey, noting that they compare very favorably to past surveys.
Harshbarger also gave updates on creating a formal process with hospice care, a rural health nursing development steering committee and legislative activity.
Nearly 700 vaccines given
With COVID-19 vaccination clinics happening every week now, MMH has administered close to 700 vaccines, as of last Tuesday.
Jenn Cano, quality improvement coordinator, employee health and infection control director, and interim director of nursing, said the vaccine program has been working really well. None of her vaccine orders have been rejected by the state.
Acknowledging that the vaccinations have required a lot of extra work by MMH staff members, Cano said the community is very appreciative and no serious side effects have been reported.
Vaccines were recently given to local school staff, and plans were in place to begin the group with residents age 65-69 last week.
Purchases include bladder scanner, CT upgrade
During Tuesday’s meeting, MMH Chief Financial Officer David Applewood briefed the board on two purchases that are part of the previously approved capital budget.
The first is a bladder scanner, which is used for a variety of reasons in both the hospital and clinic. Applewood said the current scanner can no longer be calibrated. The second purchase is for upgrades to the CT machine. The goal is to be able to offer services to patients at MMH instead of having to send them elsewhere.
In the January financial report, Applewood said total revenue was $1.9 million and total expenses were $1.8 million for a net income of $25,000.
Total days cash on hand was 293, a decrease of 11 from the previous month, and operating days cash on hand was 113, a decrease of eight. Applewood said these numbers are very good compared to where MMH was at this time last year. He also explained to the board how much cash can fluctuate from one day to another.
Applewood reported that cash from round two of the Paycheck Protection Program is now in the bank account and can start being used for salaries.
Other business
In other business at the Feb. 23 meeting, the board:
— Reviewed Policy 2.1 regarding community and external relations.
— Approved credentialing for three initial applicants and seven reappointments.
— Heard a Quality Committee report from Cano.
— Approved updated plans for infection control and quality improvement.
— Approved a bank resolution that authorizes signatures on the account at U.S. Bank.
— Extended a declaration of local disaster emergency for another 30 days.
— Held a 28-minute executive session for personnel.