Bradley County Medical Center currently has $3,799,630 in sales tax funds available to spend, board members were told Thursday.
The funds include $123,928.62 distributed in March. They also take into account $517, 720 to be spent on roof repairs. The entire hospital roof will be replaced in sections, with supplies expected to arrive next week and repairs to start shortly thereafter. The entire project will take about three to four weeks to complete and hospital officials have said that it will not require a closure of the hospital while work is ongoing.
By Tim Kessler
Repairs were included in a master plan released earlier this year, which also looked at the possibility of a new facility. Board members have not made a commitment yet on the plans, although they have looked at essential repairs that are necessary immediately, including the roof.
Maintenance Director Tim Saunders was reported to be looking into getting a plumbing assessessment done on the building.
In other action:
- CEO Leslie Huitt said a recent fundraiser hosted by the Bradley Medical and Health Foundation raised about $9,000. The foundation will add that amount to $5,000 to purchase 10 laptop computers and a cart to be used for training employees.
Huitt said the hospital experienced a $1.2 million drop in revenue because of lower volumes. On April 1, the hospital went to a single vendor for coding, which could also account for some dropoff in revenue during the transition. The new vendor has been able to catch up on inpatient and outpatient charting.
A contract with Arkansas Hospice is being worked out. Huitt said the contract could help the hospital as a revenue source when patient volumes are low.
Huitt said hospital costs are running about $500,000 lower than they were at the same point in the past fiscal year. Those may affect Medicaid and Medicare cost reports which measure costs vs. volume to determine reimbursement rates.
Huitt also noted that a grant program started at the end of last year to utilize swing beds more. Those beds have seen a 122 percent increase in use.
- Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Wolfe said discussions had begun with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences about an OB and labor and delivery quality initiative which seeks to reduce Caesarian section deliveries. The hospital would get a report comparing it to other facilities and BCMC would be designated as a “birth-friendly facility,” if it chooses to join the program.
- Compliance Officer Leanna Williams presented the HIPPA requirements for annual approval. A motion was approved to accept the policy. Revisions will also be made in an outpatient therapy clinic no-show policy, which was given approval.
- Signature cards were approved on checking and CD accounts to remove former Chief Administrative Officer Marilyn Johnson and add Controller Matt Pace.
- Williams said a risk management study showed 115 events were reported between January-March. A safety report was also presented.
- Medical staff recommendations were approved.
- This was the next to last board meeting for Lathan Hairston. He has served since 1995, with only one year off since then. He will leave the board after the June 22 meeting, with Michael Milton taking his place.