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Claiborne County
Hospital Gets National Recognition
By W. Lee Brame
Published:
Claiborne
Progress
Wednesday,
April 30, 2008 9:38 AM CDT
Correspondent
Perhaps only doctors and hospital administrators have ever heard of it, but
the nationally known Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers
and Systems (HCAHPS) selected Claiborne County Hospital as one of the top 10
hospitals in terms of customer satisfaction. Claiborne County Hospital
received an over all customer satisfaction score of 94 and tied for 7th
place on the survey along with four other hospitals. The national average
score was 67. The HCAHPS survey, published in April's Modern Healthcare
magazine noted that the survey focused on customer satisfaction and that
customer satisfaction is "just one variable" in hospital evaluation. For
example, Claiborne County hospital would not even be rated on scales that
focused on transplant surgery or other services that are not performed here.
Two other pieces of good news came out of the Claiborne Hospital Board
meeting on Tuesday night, April 22.
Chief Financial Officer Hal Jones presented a financial report that
indicated that various scheduling and administrative cost savings changes
started earlier in the year are showing positive results. While the
year-to-date balance sheet is still m the red, the hospital made a profit in
March despite lower than expected patient admissions. Emergency Services,
Nursing Home operations, and Home Health operations all operated at a slight
profit for the month. The positive balance sheet resulted from a large
number of small improvements. This is the second month that the hospital's
finances have improved.
Many
will also be cheered to learn that the board approved a recommendation by
Mercy Health Partners (who merged with Baptist Health Systems) to lure
Daniel Colon as the new Hospital Administrator. Colon will be moving from
California and has served in various hospital administrative positions
during his career. He is expected to arrive in May. The board also discussed
various internal control procedures to ensure that Colon gets off to a good
start as the new administrator.
In other business, the board approved physician recruitment measures for
another "local" physician. Born in Claiborne County, Dr. John Robertson. a
graduate of St. George's University School of Medicine, is due to start his
residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. this summer. Upon
completion of his residency in 2011, Dr. Robertson hopes to join Dr. Day's
practice in Harrogate and practice locally.
The board also voted to establish a policy that prevents the hospital from
offering discounts to a broad spectrum of community leaders that includes
hospital board members. The board unanimously agreed that offering discounts
to community members who could pay was a disservice to community members of
limited financial means.
The board also approved a suggestion that the hospital administrator
investigate an on-line training and certification program designed to
improve hospital board management skills and background. Due to the
financial and technical challenges facing most hospitals today, several
states have instituted training and certification programs for hospital
board members. |
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Hospital Recognized in
Modern Healthcare Magazine
Claiborne County Hospital has
been recognized in the April 7, 2008 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine.
A survey by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and
Systems (HCAHPS) show that CCH ranked tied for fifth in the nation when
patients were asked if they would recommend the hospital to friends and
family.
HCAHPS surveyed patients on 10
different issues, mostly on communication and hospital environment
questions. More that 2500 hospital participated in the initial
release, which is based on data obtained form hospital stays that occurred
between October 2007 and June 2007. |
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Hospital Board Interviews
Potential Administrator
By Ed Baldwin
Published:
Claiborne
Progress
Wednesday,
March 26, 2008
Staff Writer
Daniel A. Colon, 40, faced the Claiborne County Hospital Board for an
interview for the position of administrator at the regular meeting on
Tuesday, March 18.
Colon has 14 years experience in the hospital administration field and
currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations and
Administration at the Redbud Community Hospital in Clearlake, Calif. Jack
Bryan, interim administrator, said that Colon's qualifications will be
further reviewed and a decision is expected at the April meeting of the
board.
Renewal of insurance policies was a major subject on the agenda. Following
discussions the board approved renewal of the current policies for employee
insurance, professional and general liability insurance, and environmental
insurance. The workman's compensation policy is also up for renewal. The
current carrier issued one bid and then a revised lower bid. Two other
companies submitted bids just before the meeting. One of those bids was
higher but offered a potential rebate for a low claims rate. The other bid
was lowest but came in so late that it could not be reviewed adequately
before the meeting. Board members authorized Bryan to evaluate the bids and
select the best for the hospital.
Bryan reviewed components
of an operational improvement plan. Much of the plan revolves around
increased productivity and attention to detail in record keeping.
Betsy Maples discussed grant issues. One has been approved and will provide
PDA's to 10 doctors to be used to obtain up to the minute medical knowledge
from the East Tennessee State University medical library. Maples requested
authorization to apply for a U.S. Department of Agriculture long distance
learning grant. If approved, the grant would used to obtain video
conferencing equipment. That equipment could be used for continuing
education classes without the necessity to travel for that required
training. Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk School of Osteopathic Medicine
has expressed an interest in joining with the hospital in that endeavor. The
board committed to providing funds for a 30 percent match if the grant is
approved. The match amount would be around $26,500.
Bryan announced that Kenneth Trent has been selected at the incoming
director of nursing.
Board member Betsy Shoffner was absent.
Ed Baldwin is a staff writer for the Claiborne Progress. He can be reached
via e-mail at
ebaldwin@claiborneprogress.net. |
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