Board votes to increase charges by five percent

The regular monthly meeting of the Cedar County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees was held on Monday, Dec. 19 in the hospital Board Room with the following in attendance:  Judy Renn, President; Jan Neale, Vice-President; John Walker, Secretary/Treasurer; Carla Griffin and Julia Phillips, Board Members; Jana Witt, CEO; Carla Gilbert, Director of Finance; Drew Alexander, RN/Chief Nursing Officer; Bryan Breckenridge, Hospital Attorney; Terri Heitz, Recording Secretary.  President Judy Renn presided.

The meeting was called to order and the agenda approved.

The minutes of the Nov. 21, meeting were approved.

There was no Unfinished Business.

Carla Gilbert gave the Financial Report. Revenue for November was $1,669,715, with total operating expenses of $970,399.  Total deductions from revenue were $770,330.  Carla reported a loss off of operations of $69,022, and a net loss of $36,493 after taxes, interest and donations.  The year to date net operating loss is $137,025.  Days Cash on Hand is 239.  Laboratory and Nursing agency expenses continue to have an impact.

Jana and Carla have been working on the Capital and Operating Budget for this next year and will have ready to present in January.   Discussion followed regarding salary increases for employees, as well as an increase in charges. Following discussion, the Board voted to increase charges by 5%.

The Board approved payrolls for Dec. 27, 2016 and Jan. 10, 2017.

Following review, the Board approved Accounts Payable in the amount of $524,384.92.

The Board approved the following new policies and procedures with some grammatical corrections:  Laboratory: Antibody Identification via Reference Lab; Blood Bank Sample Collection and Labeling; Blood Specimen Collection and Handling; Cell Suspension Preparation; Quality Control Defects; Rapid Strep A; Reagent and Consumable Preparation and Handling; State II Urinalysis – Microscopic; Nursing: Nursing Orientation Guidelines.

Drew gave the Nursing Report.  He mentioned the nursing shortage is a problem statewide. We are currently looking to fill three RN positions.  In the Laboratory, we have one travel agency employee and a new employee in training.

Jana gave the CEO Report.  The Board had for review the Home Health Monthly Report of 11/29/16; the Monthly Activity Report from the County Health Department offices in Stockton and El Dorado Springs;  the Community Services Meeting minutes of 11/30/16; and the minutes of the Community Health Assistance Resource Team (CHART) meeting held on 11-02-16. April Burchett, Administration Department Secretary, and Susan Hall, Community Services Manager, attended the CHART Meeting in Stockton on 12-07-16, to present information gathered from the Community Health Needs Assessment.  On 12/14/16, Jana, Drew and Mike Collins, Maintenance Supervisor, attended a State Emergency Preparedness table top exercise in Stockton, along with our county health department staff and representatives from many other organizations.

The CCMH float won 3rd place in the Business Division at the El Dorado Springs Christmas Parade held on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Jana reviewed with the Board the data received from the Community Health Needs Assessment.   The Strategic Planning Committee met on 12-01-16 to review the results of the Secondary Data, Expert Questionnaire, and the Community Survey.  The committee prioritized needs by comparing information from these three categories.  Jana stated press releases will be sent out to inform the public how to access the final report when it is completed.   The Strategic Planning Committee will meet again on Thursday, 12-22-16, to decide how to best address the issues that were identified.  Jana will report back to the Board following this meeting.

Jana informed the Board the Senior Tax Commission approved a grant of $25,000 to be used for in-home services, and $4,000 for the Exercise Center in Stockton.  Susan Hall, Community Services Manager, represented the County Health Department at the meeting of the Senior Tax Commission.

Jana informed the Board a new billboard advertising the Medical Mall Clinic has been approved and will soon be going up on Hwy 32.

Jana and April have been working on a community newsletter, which should be ready for distribution as an insert in local newspapers in the next couple of weeks.  The newsletter highlights Dr. Chilton, Pediatrician, and Kim Souza, FNP, at the Medical Mall Clinic.  The newsletter will have information on services that are provided at CCMH.

The Board voted to go out of open session and into closed session Pursuant to Statute 610.021 (12) and (14) of the Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri—Contracts and Records Protected from Disclosure by Law.  Roll call vote was as follows:  Jan Neale-Yea; John Walker-Yea; Judy Renn-Yea; Julia Phillips-Yea; Carla Griffin-Yea.

Upon returning from closed session, the Board announced they approved the minutes of the closed session held on Nov. 21.  Roll call vote was as follows:  Julia Phillips-Yea; Carla Griffin-Yea; Judy Renn-Yea; Jan Neale-Yea; John Walker-Yea.

The Board announced they approved Medical Staff privileges for James Piko, D.O. (consulting radiologist/Emergent Teleradiology).  Roll call vote as follows:  Carla Griffin-Yea; John Walker-Yea; Judy Renn-Yea; Jan Neale-Yea; Julia Phillips-Yea.

Following discussion, the Board approved an adjustment to the base salary of specified nursing positions and a 2% salary increase for all other staff.

With no other business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.  The Board Members then joined the employees for their annual Christmas dinner.