Hospital requests Ambulance digital frequencies

Close to the end of the Monday, Sept. 17, hospital board meeting Cedar County Memorial Hospital CEO Jana Witt said that the hospital’s former CNO, Drew Alexander, had requested the digital frequencies from the ambulance dispatch several months ago so the hospital emergency room could track where the ambulances were going.

Witt said, “Since they’ve gone to the digital frequencies, we’re blind to Cedar County Ambulance traffic though we do receive reports via the HEAR (Hospital Emergency Ambulance Radio) system if the ambulance is bringing people to the emergency room.”

She said that the hospital was originally told to listen to the El Dorado Springs Police Department. Witt said that the hospital’s current CNO, Rob Simon, had talked to Tom Ryan EMT-P Operations Manager for Cedar County Ambulance. Ryan said that the request would be on the Sept. 17, Ambulance Board meeting agenda. That meeting was cancelled citing lack of a quorum.

Present at the hospital board meeting were board members Marvin Manring, via phone, Julia Philips, Johnny Walker and Carla Griffin presiding, Judy Renn was absent. Others present were recording secretary Terri Heitz, hospital attorney Bryan Breckingridge, CFO Carla Gilbert and Witt.

It was reported that all RN and LPN vacancies have been filled and there is still one traveler in the Lab.

The board reviewed and approved various miscellaneous policies.