Archive for 2024

The Salem Memorial Hospital regular board meeting was held Monday evening in the hospital library. In the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Jason Edwards reported the annual audit report will be given at the February Board meeting from FORVIS. He said Mike Gruenberg is the new interim Revenue Cycle Director, and that he met with Four Rivers CEO Stuart Gipson to discuss ways the two entities can compliment each other with network opportunities. Edwards reported the ToRCH participation agreement has been implemented and funds are projected to be received by the end of the month to start initiating the program. He said CLIA has accepted the hospital’s Plan of Correction and will be back soon to reinspect. Edwards stated that Jeremiah McWilliams has implemented the 340B Optimization and that Delta assistance has been approved for the charge master update. Chief Financial Officer Doug Hoban reported the hospital had a loss from operations of $434,979 in December with an excess of expenses over revenues of $290,222. Hoban reported hospital admissions in December were 89 which included ten swingbed and 32 observation admissions with a total of 285 patient census days. In December, there were 1,416 Outpatient Registrations, 1,384 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 6,263 Lab Tests, 1,165 Radiology Procedures, 566 Rehabilitation Treatments, 25 Surgical Procedures, and 139 Home Health Visits. Hoban said the Long Term Care unit had two vacancies at the end of December, but those beds have now been filled. There were 590 Emergency Room visits with 69 patients being admitted. A total of 239 ambulance runs were made with 162 patients being transported. He said days cash on hand at the end of December was 17, but is now at 23.2. He also said a 2022 Medicaid Rural reimbursement of $333,000 is expected at the end of the month. The clinic had a profit from direct operations for the month of $59,198 and $236,000 for the first half of the fiscal year, but that does not include employee benefits which totaled around $318,000 providing for a loss of over $75,000. The 340B plan showed revenues over expenses for the month of $89,725. Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Owens said med/surg is staff fully with nurses, but there still is a need for four full time night time nurses. She met with LPN students from TCTC as well as the SBU LPN Bridge to RN students who will begin clinicals this week. After the human resource report, the board approved the infection prevention report, the utilization report, and quality report before approving an extension to the existing Medical Staff By-Laws for an additional 60 days as discussions on allowing nurse practitioners to have privileges continues to be a sticking point. From the board discussion, the Emergency Department physicians do not like the idea of the nurse practitioners having privileges in the hospital and that appears to be the point of contention. Edwards said the hospital has submitted their first request for the state grant of $962,792 and are expected to receive half around the end of this month. They will have to request the rest of the money by May. The board accepted the retirement of Director Judy Thompson and approved advertising for her replacement for the next three weeks for those interested in serving from District 1. A special meeting will be held Tuesday, February 13th to do interviews. The board approved the Board of Directors Bylaws, then reminded everyone of the Hospital Foundation’s “Dancing with the Salem Stars” to be held at the Salem High School Gym on Saturday, February 24th at 7:00. Tickets are available in advance for $20 and table sponsorships are also available. Call 729-5917, extension 4005. Bleacher seating will be available at the door. The board then went into closed session.

The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department has issued an Endangered Person Advisory for a missing person incident that occurred at 15405 County Road 4070 in Rolla at 4:00 yesterday. Missing is 18-year-old white male named Faelin Conner Graves who is 5′ 10″ tall, weighs about 150 pounds, has blond hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a black and gray flannel hoodie and blue jeans. Graves is believed to be with his mother who is 35-year-old Joan M. Healy, a white female who is 5′ 2″ tall, weighs about 125 pounds, has blonde hair and blue eyes, and it is unknown what she was wearing. Graves left his residence on foot after witnessing a fight between his parents. Graves is Autistic and is developmentally challenged. Anyone seeing the missing person, suspect, associate, or anyone having any information should immediately dial 911 to contact the nearest law enforcement agency or call the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department at 573-426-3860.

An accident happened in Dent County Saturday night close to 11:00 on Dent County Road 2110. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Dodge Ram driven northbound by 26-year-old Dillon Burnett of Rolla, was being operated carelessly in a field. A that time, 25-year-old Brandon Burnett of Rolla, jumped into the rear bed of pickup truck and was subsequently thrown from the Dodge. Brandon Burnett suffered serious injuries and was taken to Phelps Health by the Salem Memorial Hospital Ambulance. There was no damage to the vehicle.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening at the R-80 Administrative Boardroom. At the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed updated the board on the capital projects related to the bond issue which is for six million dollars. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills provided an overview of the APR report. Dr. Reed discussed the most recent bond and operating levy informational meeting that was held at the Salem Community Center@The Armory for the community. She also reported the district received 30 out of 30 points from DESE on its CSIP. After the building principals gave their reports, the board approved setting the tuition for the 2024-2025 school year at $9,700 per student, approved accepting a band uniform contribution of $9,000, and approved the resignation of Zach MIller as StuCo Sponsor. Other resignations accepted were for custodian Steven McDonald and bus driver Chastity Boettcher. The board also approved the revised bond resolution language to read as “Shall the Board of Education of the Salem R-80 School District of Dent County, Missouri borrow money and issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $6,000,000 to acquire, construct, improve, renovate, furnish, and equip new and existing school facilities, including but not limited to (1) the replacement of William Lynch Elementary School through the (a) purchase of the Southwest Baptist Building located at 501 S. Grand Street in Salem, Missouri and (b) construction of a FEMA storm shelter at Salem Upper Elementary School, (2) renovations and additions to the Construction Trades Building, (3) renovations and additions to the Agricultural Sciences Building and (4) the acquisition of school buses. If this proposition is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of the school district is estimated to increase $0.34 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation from $0.45 to $0.79 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation of real and personal property.” The board then approved placing the ballot initiatives named Proposition W and Proposition E on the April Municipal election ballot. The board then reviewed the short term and long term facility project lists before going into closed session where personnel issues were discussed as were the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent evaluations. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 5:00 in the hospital library Monday evening. Interim Administrator Jason Edwards will give his report before the board hears the summary of operations for the month of December as well as statistics for the month. The board will hear about the 340B program, receive the Chief Nursing Officer report, be updated on Human Resources, and receive a report on the marketing and community relations. In old business, the board will discuss the state and matching fund updates as well as strategic planning before hearing new business which will feature the acceptance of the retirement of a board of director as well as the annual bylaw review. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting is Monday at 5:00 in the hospital library and it is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at 729-6626, extension 4005.