Next step toward renovations

The Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board took its next small step towards building renovations, carefully discussing plans that have been mired in contentious discussion since a failed hospital district vote two years ago.

After a thorough study by the Erdman healthcare planning firm, it has come to light that in order to maintain the exceptional healthcare service to which Hot Springs County residents are accustom, the present half-century old facility needs to be expanded and modernized.

With Erdman’s suggestions in mind, the board discussed ways to achieve the renovations that are often conflated with the failed district vote. Doctors, administration and board members made it clear Wednesday renovations were needed for the hospital to maintain quality service for decades to come.

The board was in favor of Erdman’s Building Plan C, which would construct a new facility onto the present one, utilizing the entirety of the hospital’s present land without crossing East Arapahoe, which board members agreed would cause a host of problems both for the community and the hospital.

Although board members liked Plan C, it was evident the plan would need reorganizing. Administration stated that the present layout of the suggested plan would not be as efficient as possible for the employees at the hospital, with fairly large distances between departments that may present logistical problems for the staff’s workflow.

With this in mind, HSCMH CEO Robin Roling said that she would approach Erdman with suggested changes to the plan based on input heard both in the community meetings and in Wednesday’s board meeting.

Shortly before the board discussed the Master Facility Plan, Kelli Hoblit, Clinic Director of the Big Horn Clinic in Basin, presented her annual program evaluation to the board.

The Big Horn Clinic, which is owned and operated by HSCMH, is a rural health clinic that provides crucial healthcare services primarily to Basin, Greybull, Burlington, and even Worland. According to Hoblit’s presentation, three-quarters of the clinic’s visits were from Greybull and Basin residents.

Hoblit then discussed the clinic’s community outreach programs, which included breast cancer awareness programs throughout October, a cancer survivor luncheon, hand washing clinics in local schools, the Wyoming Health Fair, and the clinic’s participation in a career day for local high school students.

According to a January survey of clinic patients, 69 percent rated the clinic’s service as great, 22.76 said the service was good, while a mere 4 percent responded that the service was ‘okay’.

HSCMH CEO Roling said of the presentation that, “This is the third evaluation I’ve had the opportunity to see, [and] it just keeps getting better and better.” Hospital Board Chairman Bill Williams agreed, adding that the positive information shared by Hoblit made, “By far the best report I’ve heard over the years.”

Roling had exciting and positive news to share with the board as well, noting stars that hung around the Hot Springs facility which celebrated the staff’s “exciting and great work” over the last months.

In recent surveys conducted by the hospital, staff received an overall rating of 100 percent for “courtesy and respect” and “help toileting” for August, September, and October. Staff also received a 100 percent rating for “pain well controlled” and “help with pain” for September and October. Roling noted that the hospital did not have enough cases to add the last two categories to their August survey.

Hospital CFO Shelley Larson then presented to the board a new “red flag policy” that is aimed at preventing health insurance fraud and identity theft. The board unanimously voted this into effect.

Finally, Roling updated the board as to the progress of the MRI project. Roling was notified Wednesday morning by Siemens that the ordered MRI will deliver the week of March 8. The delay was caused by Siemens’ insistance that MRI building plans be reviewed by the state before an order for a machine would be accepted.

A Siemens representative met with Roling Thursday morning to discuss the setback and other building plans. A Pleasant Construction, which was awarded the bid for reconstruction of the MRI room, was still on board to undertake the forthcoming construction.