Local News – Monday, January 31st, 2022
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control and the Shannon County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of human remains on January 12th. The remains were discovered on the state right of way on Highway 60 near Winona. An autopsy performed on the remains determined the cause of death was homicide. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is requesting the public’s help in determining the person’s identity and any information that could be pertinent to the investigation. The victim is a female, approximately 55-years of age, and has two legible tattoos. Photos of the tattoos can be found with this news release on the Patrol’s website. Anyone with information should contact Troop G Headquarters at (417) 469-3121.
The Houston Police Department responded to a scene Thursday evening to assist EMS with an unresponsive male. Upon arrival, they found three people inside a residence with fatal gunshot wounds. Officers investigated and they believe that 66-year-old Gregory Pardun died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting and killing 57-year-old Deborah German and 16-year-old Benjamin Pardun. The Houston Police Department worked with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Texas County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston Fire Department, and the Texas County Coroner’s Office. The investigation of the incident is still ongoing.
A one vehicle accident happened Friday night just before 8:00 in Dent County on Dent County Road 2060 about a mile east of Lake Springs. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Honda Element being driven east by 17-year-old female from Salem, was traveling eastbound too fast for conditions, lost control of the vehicle and overturned. The teenager was transported by a private vehicle to Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. She was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Honda was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors held a special meeting Friday afternoon at the hospital library. At the meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas updated the board on the status of hospital employees with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. As of Friday, there are 251 total employees of which 141 are fully vaccinated, 19 are partially vaccinated and 66 are exempt from the vaccination. Lucas said of the 25 employees who have yet to be vaccinated, 16 are scheduled to have their first vaccination at the next hospital clinic, while five have filled out an exemption application and it is not known what the other four employees are planning to do. Those employees must have their first vaccination by February 13th. Lucas reported on the hospital revenue cycle that will now be in house and the changes that are being made in Phase 1 and Phase 2. First, the contract with Trubridge for collection efforts expired on December 31st and it will not be renewed. Secondly, when a patient goes for pre-registration, their latest information will be collected including their insurance benefit eligibility. Patients will be notified of the services their physician has requested and will also be notified of their financial responsibility based on their insurance coverage and their deductible. At registration, the service collection of the co-pay and/or their deductible will be discussed, and there will be a review of the insurance authorization before services are provided. Many of these changes are being created from the new Managed Medicare accounts. The Billing and Accounts Receivable Management personnel will then follow through on the patient accounts. In Phase 2 which will begin March 1st, the department will review the charge capture and cash posting including revenue cycle meetings to ensure accounts are sent and returned in a timely fashion. Lucas then updated the board on the Laboratory and that a complete contract for Emergency Blood Release post transfusion has been reached with the Texas County Memorial Hospital, with complete release policy and procedures to be done by February 1st. Lucas said training for Emergency Blood Release Evaluation and Training will be held February 8th and will be recorded for future training sessions. By February 11th, completion of the Vitros Chemical Analyzer online training will be done with the completion of the Vitros validation and quality control study to be completed by February 28th. By March 15th, the complete remaining patient remediation of the lab is to be completed. This plan will allow for 90% of the laboratory services the hospital provides to be available for patients. The hospital is still looking for a new lab director and a technical supervisor as they continue to fill open lab positions such as the hiring of a new full time evening phlebotomist. The board then went into closed session. The hospital board will meet in closed session tonight at 7:00 at the hospital library.