Hospital board meets

At the October Hot Springs Health board meeting held in the conference room, CEO Scott Alwin introduced Dr. Philip Gard, a new full-time physician, and Dr. Elizabeth McKenzie, a second-year resident. Also, Marnie O’Donnell was recognized for recently earning her Nurse ID certification, and an inspiring story was shared about a positive family experience in the emergency department despite the patient’s passing. Additionally, it was acknowledged that Ron Jurovich, who provided many years of legal and financial support to the hospital, recently passed away.

During the medical staff update, Dr. Stephen Asay said that their recent meeting included updates from various committees. Dr. Nicole Jamieson reported on trauma activation criteria, while Dr. Travis Bomengen presented changes to ICU policies. Pharmacy updates regarding emergency room medications were discussed, and Dr. Hallie Bischoff provided updates on the OB committee, including modifications to visiting hours and the medical screening policy. Other items included ongoing discussions about admissions to Thermopolis Rehab and updates to bylaws.

During the Board Education portion, they reviewed chapters from “Boards That Lead”, focusing on CEO succession planning. The board discussed the importance of identifying community-engaged leadership and plans for upcoming board education. There was a preference for using videos for educational purposes, provided the cost was reasonable, while others suggested readings and interactive sessions.

In the CEO report, Alwin shared updates on recruitment efforts for a new Riverton Clinic PA and the successful trauma survey, granting the hospital certification as a community trauma hospital. There was also an update on orthopedic service expansion with Dr. Christine DiPompeo, who began seeing patients on October 1st and will soon conduct surgeries on-site.

In the financial report, Natalya Keller indicated they had an operating loss of $197,000 in September, although days in accounts receivable and cash on hand were both close to target. Board members raised questions about specific financial figures and requested a glossary for acronyms used in reports. Additionally, approval was given for investing $3 million from operating funds into the Wyoming Government Investment Fund for a higher return rate.

In the People Pillar, the board discussed focusing on recruitment and retention. The goal is to reduce the average time to fill positions by 10%, and the July leadership empowerment score was reported at 3.357, slightly below the target of 3.5. Turnover remains a focus, with a goal to reduce the overall rate. The hospital’s turnover rate is below the national average at 19.64% year-to-date, which is meeting the target.

Regarding strategic planning, the board discussed updates included growth initiatives, quality measures, cost reduction efforts, and people-focused goals. Key areas discussed were enhancing service lines, improving emergency department efficiency, achieving a minimum patient satisfaction rating, and reducing readmission rates. There is also a focus on increasing grant funding and maintaining 85 days of operating cash on hand.

In new business, the board approved changes to the med staff bylaws, rules and regulations, and credentialing policy, excluding the functional committee’s manual, which requires further review.