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CCH Board Meets Published: Claiborne Independent December 24, 2008 by W. Lee Brame After an almost two hour public workshop on Friday, Dec. 12, the Claiborne County Hospital Board asked Mercy Health Systems if Mercy was interested in continuing the management contract with the hospital. Workshop and Board members closely examined the current contract and concluded that the contract was in the hospital’s and community’s best interest. Jack Bryan, Mercy Health Systems representative to CCH replied that Mercy is interested in continuing the relationship. Board members asked Mercy to prepare any requested changes to the contract for discussion at a joint workshop tentatively planned for Jan. 13. The current management contract with Mercy Health systems requires Mercy to appoint the hospital administrator (with board approval) and gives Claiborne County Hospital access to Mercy’s significantly larger volume discounts for generic hospital supplies. Discussion during the Board meeting indicates that Claiborne County and Mercy Health Systems are both interested in exploring further synergies that may be beneficial to both parties. Mercy’s recommendation of Dan Colón as Hospital Administrator during the last year has paid dividends as Hospital business practices continue to improve. This month’s financial report indicated that all business units (except one) within the hospital operated in the black this month with losses by employed physicians noticeably less than expected. Overall, combined hospital operations made just over $65,000 in November 2008 compared to a loss of $76,000 for November 2007. For November, hospital admissions and outpatient visits were both down while emergency room (ambulance runs) were up over 20 percent. Close attention to supply and personnel management during November contributed to the successful month. For the fiscal year to date, the hospital has operated in the black. Keeping the hospital in the black is important to the community as a whole since hospital profits fund equipment maintenance, modernization and staff training. At the recommendation of the staff, the board voted to replace (as opposed to repair without guarantee) an aged bronchoscope and a telemetry unit that monitors cardiac activity in hospitalized patients. Updated hospital regulations require that analogue telemetry units be replaced by more reliable digital units early in 2009. The board’s decision to modernize the equipment now will keep the hospital in compliance with the new rules. Votes in favor of the capital improvements were unanimous. |
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