Published: Claiborne Progress

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

by Andrea Schneider

The Claiborne County Hospital Board opened proposals for the new management contract for Claiborne County Hospital and Nursing Home. Proposals were submitted by Mercy Health Partners, the current managing entity of the hospital, Covenant Health and Restoration Healthcare.

The board opened the proposals for review and then moved to recess the meeting until Monday July 6 at 5 p.m. to allow board members time to study the proposals. Representatives from each entity will be formally invited to attend the July 6 meeting to make presentations of their proposals and be available to answer questions from the board.

Also during the meeting, Jack Bryan with Mercy Health Partners offered to extend the hospital’s current management contract for one month while the board reviews the new contract proposals. The board approved the contract extension.

During the medical staff report Dr. Richard Clark reported that a new Chief of Staff had been chosen. He announced that the staff had elected Dr. Robert Wilmoth (left) as Chief of Staff and Dr. Michael Whiting as Vice Chief. Dr. Clark also reported that there had been some additions and changes to the medical staff’s bylaws and the board approved the changes with little discussion.

Controller Jessica Justice once again had to break bad financial news to the board. The hospital and nursing home numbers are once again in the red. Although the board was concerned with the financial problems they seemed to agree that not much could be done until a management contract was chosen and a full time administrator was put in place to make needed financial decisions.

The board will reconvene to discuss the management contract proposals at the hospital on Mon. July 6 at 5:00 p.m.