Hospital talks naming rights

    Melissa Memorial Hospital is working on a formal policy for donors looking to name parts of the hospital, CEO Trampas Hutches announced at a Dec. 11 special meeting of the East Phillips County Hospital District Board.
    Currently, a list of nameable rooms and equipment is maintained by MMH Foundation Executive Director Nancy Colglazier, and donors of $25,000 or more already earn the right to name one of the hospital’s patient rooms.
    The board talked about compiling a schedule for naming other rooms not currently on the list, such as the boardroom, as well as specific hospital departments.
    The discussion arose after a donor recently offered to make a large contribution in exchange for being able to name an area of the hospital.
    Board member Angela Powell suggested requiring a certain percentage of a department’s budget be matched for it to be named by a donor. Others talked about flat fees for departments and other nonpatient rooms.
    Board member Sheila Gift said they should think carefully before setting restrictions on naming rights, especially on duration.
    Powell and Hutches both emphasized the need for flexibility so the hospital doesn’t drive away potential donors.
    “You don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth,” Powell said.
    Hutches added that he would be reaching out to larger hospitals in neighboring communities such as Sterling to get a sense of how these rights are codified elsewhere.
    
Budget passes with revenue unchanged
    The board also certified the hospital’s mill levy and finalized its 2019 operating and capital budgets.
    Following a $20 increase in the county’s assessed valuation, now $69,101,780, the hospital’s 13.7 mills will still equate to $946,694 in revenue.