Local News – Wednesday, December 13th, 2017

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors met Tuesday afternoon for their regular December meeting. The summary of operations for the month of November showed the hospital had a loss from operations of $35,869 with an excess of expenses over revenues of $34,155. Inpatient admissions were above budget as were outpatient registrations. The cash flow statement showed a decrease in cash of $754,532 for November with days in accounts receivable at 61. The hospital is still waiting on a $300,000 United Health Care Medicaid payment but they feel they will see at least some of that payment by the end of the calendar year. Statistics for the month of November show inpatient admissions at 59 with impatient census days at 216. There were 760 emergency room visits, 214 ambulance runs with 157 patients being transported to the hospital, 29 surgical procedures, 1,533 outpatient registrations, 196 home health visits, 7,267 lab tests, 934 radiological procedures and 575 rehab treatments. Days cash on hand for the hospital for this fiscal year currently stands at 74. In November, the quality improvement committee reviewed and discussed projects for Rehab, Medical Records and Business Office, Dietary, Home Health, Radiology and the Lab. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported the Hospital Foundation raised approximately $12,000 from the “Dancing with the Salem Stars” fundraiser held Saturday night at the Salem City hall Auditorium. Their next event will be a golf tournament to be held on June 8th, 2018. He also stated the hospital auxiliary had 16 members attend their December meeting which ended up being a Christmas lunch social. Their next meeting will be held January 2nd at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Tuesday begin the election filing period for the District #5 board member who currently is Ray Bruno. People can sign up at the hospital for District #5 through January 16th, 2018. The board approved lock box changes adding Linda Maledy and Amber Price. Lucas explained to the board about a concrete project budgeted in 2017 for some repair and alterations at the hospital for the sidewalks between Professional Office Building 3 and the hospital entrance as well as the sidewalk between the entrance and the circle curve to remove the step, and also to provide additional handicapped cut outs in the curbing at the hospital. A pre-bid meeting will be held February 5th at 9:00 at the hospital main entrance with the bid date set for February 21st. The board of directors approved the purchase of a digital X-Ray Room and Readers from RadSource at the hospital for $226,485. This is being done to comply with new requirements set by CMS for the radiology department as they will go from computed radiography to digital radiography. Lucas said the hospital will do a five-year lease purchase agreement that will cost about $4,000 per month. By financing the project locally, the hospital will save about $21,000 in interest. The bid also includes an extended four-year warranty and other additions for an additional $76,000 that will be paid out of a different fund and not capital projects. The board then went into closed session.

A 2018 Planning meeting for “I Heart Salem” will be held Thursday, December 14th from 5:00-6:00 PM at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The “Goal of the Event” is to outline the 2018 calendar of events for “I Heart Salem.” The group has expressed some ideas, but they want to hear from you too! They also want to try to build more partnerships and share volunteers and projects, so if you represent another group that has some clean-up or housing projects scheduled on your calendar, “I Heart Salem” wants to know how we can help! Please plan to attend if you can or send a representative from your organization if you can’t make it! We’ll have some light snacks available. For questions or more information, please call Sarah Massengale at 729-3196.

The Dent County Service Unit of the Salvation Army Welfare Secretary Sherry Lea reports that ALL of the Angels on the Angel Tree were adopted as of 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. For all those who have adopted an Angel. For all those who have adopted an angel, please remember to have the items you have collected for your Angel at the Salem Community Center@The Armory by 4:30 this Friday!