Cedar County Memorial Hospital Board reviews tech partnerships, service expansion, strategic IT upgrades

Natalie Eberhard

Marketing Specialist

natalie.eberhard@cedarcomem.com 417-876-3745

The Cedar County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) Board of Trustees met on June 17 to review strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing patient care, improving operational efficiency, and maximizing federal reimbursements. All board members attended.

The meeting began with a presentation from Leah Burke of VersaBadge, a company specializing in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). CCMH will adopt VersaBadge’s automated tracking system to precisely log Emergency Department (ED) provider hours using real-time location data.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires CAHs to track ED provider patient care versus downtime. Because CAHs must staff emergency rooms 24/7 despite fluctuating volumes, CMS reimburses these hospitals based on documented physician downtime to help offset staffing costs. Traditional manual tracking is notoriously inaccurate. Initial studies indicate CCMH has been underreporting downtime, leaving an estimated $80,000 in annual federal reimbursement uncollected. CEO Don Carpenter noted he successfully utilized VersaBadge at a previous facility, adding that the methodology is fully accepted by CMS.

CEO report: Service upgrades, rebranding, and staff milestones

In his executive update, Carpenter called attention to CCMH’s newest diagnostic imaging modality which is going well and already seeing many patients.

“We’re very excited to now offer nuclear medicine services,” Carpenter said. The team in radiology, Josh McLellen in particular, have really done a great job to get this service line implemented.”

The hospital also unveiled a new logo and cohesive branding updates across the facility, alongside a transition to a more intuitive website domain: cedarcountymemorial.org.

In personnel news, Carpenter recognized Shawn Andreasen, RN, the new wound care nurse, who completes his formal certification testing this month. The wound care service line has already seen exponential growth under his leadership. Additionally, Bethany Boultinghouse, LPN, was introduced as the new Medical Mall Clinic Manager and commended for her strong start.

Finally, Carpenter presented a revised hardware quote to upgrade CCMH’s servers. After Information Technology Manager Jamie Johnson advocated for eligible non-profit pricing, the vendor slashed the initial quote from over $200,000 to just over $97,000. This essential upgrade accommodates upcoming, mandatory Electronic Health Records software updates while saving future expansion costs.

Financial and operations update

Cedar County Memorial Hospital

1401 S. Park St. | El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 | 417-876-2511 | www.cedarcomem.com

Chief Financial Officer Carla Gilbert presented the May financial report, noting that current figures reflect substantial upfront investments in new clinical services expected to yield revenue in coming months. May gross revenue was $3,137,000 (down 4% year-over-year), while net operating revenue fell 12%. Operating expenses rose 9% over May 2025 to $2,013,000, resulting in a net monthly loss of $425,475 and a year-to-date loss of $1.2 million. Days cash on hand shifted from 142 to 133. In addition to investment in new services, Gilbert attributed some of these financial shortfalls to industry-wide collection challenges and ongoing negotiations with insurance companies.

Chief Operating Officer Matthew Pruitt reported rapid progress on a new oncology service line, which is expected to be ready to accept patients within three to six months. Remodeling of the oncology space is beginning soon and specialized nurse applications are underway. Chief Nursing Officer Jennie Noakes, RN, added that the ED remains on track for Level III Stroke Center certification.

In governance, the Board approved a compliance policy to guide future policy creation before adjourning into closed session.