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HGH Board Brief January 28, 2020

Trustees present: Michelle Miller, Secretary; Bill Hammargren; Gene Hunt; Alicia Cramer; and, Ken Tipton. Trustees not present: JoAnn Casalez, Chairman

Medical Staff-Hospital Department Reports

Medical Staff Report

There was no medical staff report.

Administration Department Report: CEO

Staff Updates

Tiffany Love and Leeann Cushway
  • COO - HGH Chief Operating Officer Tiffany Love, PhD, APRN, FACHE, started January 13, 2020
  • CNO - HGH Chief Nursing Officer Leeann Cushway, RN, BSN, MSN, started January 27, 2020.

Physician-Clinic Updates

Andrew Wesley, MD, had 48 patient contacts at the Pain Management Clinic in January. Shane Draper, DPM, and Quinn Lindstrom, DPM, had 98 patient contacts in January. The equipment for the Sleep Medicine Lab will be installed January 30, 2020. Subha Rajan, MD, a Family Practice/OB provider, will start in April. She has obtained Nevada licensure and has begun relocation efforts. David Masuck, MD, will begin practicing next fall.

With regard to physician recruitment, Brittani Smith, MD, FPOB, visited again in January. Administration had made contact with three other prospective physician candidates including: Robert Crawford, MD, an FP provider; Ellen Ouellette, MD, an FPOB provider who will graduate in 2022; and Deepthi Ciddi, MD, a Nevada licensed internal medicine specialist.

Additionally, Arthur Johnson, PA, will start in the Walk-In Clinic; Raafat Khani, DO, and Pamela Sherwill-Navaro, NP, both locum providers, are current providing services in the Walk-In Clinic; and, Tom Mouritsen, CRNA, has been hired to fill the third CRNA position.

Staff Recruitment

Dianelis Almendares will begin February 13, 2020, as the hospital's new HR Director; Rachel Lara, RN, a seven-year HGH employee, has accepted the Clinic Nurse Supervisor position; Kathyrn Ourada, RN, a 25-year HGH employee has accepted the Interim OB Manager position; and a recruiting firm has been retained to provide OR Manager candidates.

Remodel Project

The Pharmacy hood and pressurization issue is proposed to be solved by increasing the size of VAV box and duct work; the Physical Therapy-Cardiac Rehabilitation expansion and remodel is going well. The Cafeteria work will begin after completion of the PT-Cardiac Rehab remodel. 

Air Ambulance Services

HGH Administration met with MedX AirOne flight crew representatives to clarify staffing issues; some facility needs in the flight crew house were addressed; and the communications center closure is scheduled for February 2020.

Long Term Care Survey

The plan of correction for the clinical portion of the Long Term Care survey was accepted and administration is awaiting clarification on some potential items of concern regarding the facility.

Upcoming Events

The Board mini retreat, where trustees will discuss various matters affecting the district, is scheduled for February 28-29, 2020. Trustees also are invited to attend the Western Regional Trustee Symposium, which is scheduled for June 10-12, 2020, in Reno, Nevada.

CEO Cole reminded board trustees of the Corporate Bylaws Mini-Retreat scheduled for February 28-29. She also encouraged trustees to participate in the 24th Annual Western Regional Trustee Symposium, which will take place June 10-12, 2020, in Reno, Nevada.

Consent Agenda

Board trustees approved the minutes for the December 17, 2020, meeting. Additionally, board members approved medical staff applications for appointments, reappointments and privileges for 5 medical providers.

Financial Reports

HGH Interim CFO Kelley Gentry presented the November-December 2019 financial reports, the financial improvement plan, an update on the Center system, on-going training updates, an update on Long Term Care billing, an update on the hospital's billing system and self-pay issues, and the tentative calendar for the next budget year as follows: Budget Workshop - March 14, 2020; consider proposed budget changes - March 24, 2020; submit the tentative budget to the state - April 15, 2020; public budget hearing - May 26, 2020; and submission of the final budget to the state - June 1, 2020. Trustees unanimously approved the November-December 2019 financials, warrants and disbursements as presented.

Business Items-Other Reports

1. Hospital Administration/proposal to employ and enter into an employment agreement with Brittani Smith, MD to provide family practice obstetrics physician health care services / Administration - HGH Trustees unanimously approved the employment agreement for Brittani Smith, MD, as presented.

2. Hospital Administration/proposal to enter into an employment agreement with Landon Mouritsen, CRNA to provide CRNA staff services/Administration - HGH Trustees unanimously approved the employment agreement for Landon Mouritsen, CRNA, as presented.

3. Hospital Administration/proposal to enter into an employment agreement with Tom Mouritsen, CRNA to provide CRNA staff services/Administration - HGH Trustees unanimously approved the employment agreement for Tom Mouritsen, CRNA, as presented.

4. Hospital Administration/proposal to appoint Janet Sturtz as Infection Preventionist/ Administration - HGH Interim CEO Karen Cole said new regulations require the Board to be aware of who will be overseeing the onsite infection control programs. Trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Janet Sturtz as Infection Preventionist.

5. Hospital Administration / proposal to appoint Cody Bright as Chair of the Antibiotic Stewardship Committee/ Administration - HGH Interim CEO Karen Cole said new regulations require the Board to be aware of who will be responsible for stewardship of antibiotics kept on the premises. The Board unanimously agreed to appoint Cody Bright as Antibiotic Stewardship Committee Chairman.

6. Hospital Administration/proposal to amend agreement with Roger Brecheen, M.D., Arroyo Medical, Inc. to provide OBGYN services for an extended term/ Maintenance Director-Administration - Trustees unanimously agreed to table this item.

7. Hospital Administration / proposals to amend employment agreements with Echo Mathews, APRN (benefits-compensation), Robert Johnson, PA-C (benefits-compensation), Veronica Janhunen, MD (benefits-compensation), Robert Westling, MD (benefits-compensation), Rommel Adajar, MD (benefits-compensation), Subha Rajan, MD (benefits) and David Masuck, MD (benefits) to eliminate payment for the healthcare benefits for persons other than the employed provider and to adjust the base compensation to account for the reduction in the benefits / Administration - Trustee Bill Hammargren asked if adjusting the compensation to offset the elimination of healthcare benefits for persons other than the provider is acceptable. HGH Interim CEO Cole indicated it is allowed and the fair market value of the provider compensation with the adjustment will not be exceeded. Trustees unanimously agreed to amend the employment agreements (as indicated in the parentheses) with Echo Mathews, APRN (benefits-compensation), Robert Johnson, PA-C (benefits-compensation), Veronica Janhunen, MD (benefits-compensation), Robert Westling, MD (benefits-compensation), Rommel Adajar, MD (benefits-compensation), Subha Rajan, MD (benefits only) and David Masuck, MD (benefits only) to eliminate payment by the employer of the healthcare benefits for persons other than the employed provider and to adjust (increase) the base compensation of the providers to account for the reduction in the benefits as presented.

Trustee Comments

Trustee Ken Tipton and Secretary Michelle Miller both expressed appreciation for the additions of the various providers over the past several months.

Next Meeting

The Humboldt County Hospital District Board of Trustees will meet next at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 25, in the Sarah Winnemucca Conference Room.

Meeting agendas, board minutes and more will be/are available at: