Local News – Thursday, August 20th, 2020

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. At the regular board meeting,
Hospital Chief Financial Officer Doug Hoban gave the summary of operations for the month of July where the hospital had 94 inpatient admissions with 339 inpatient census days. There were 1,769 outpatient registrations, 1,591 cardiopulmonary procedures, 7,202 lab tests, 1,179 radiology procedures, 732 rehabilitation treatments, 38 surgeries, 309 home health visits and 678 emergency room visits. There were a total of 203 ambulance runs with 131 patients transported with 72 dry runs. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $29,936 with expenses over revenues after taxes of $23,934. Hoban said the balance sheet remains strong even with a cash decrease of $687,111 in July. He did say the accounts receivable staff had concentrated their efforts on collecting the private pay as they reduced the amount outstanding by over $850,000. Days in net Accounts Receivable stayed at 103 and that is same as last month. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported the hospital auxiliary monthly meetings are cancelled until further notice, and COO Jason Edwards said the “Dancing with the Salem Stars” has been scheduled for January 30th of 2021. He said the hospital is working on the USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Grant. Edwards said they found a TytoCare-school focused telemedicine product that is a hand held modular examination tool that can examine the heart, lungs, skin, throat, ears and body temperature and provide for a complete telehealth platform. Edwards said the community CPR training and First Responder Training is moving forward but all other support group meetings have been cancelled. Edwards also said due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Dent County, the hospital had to change their visitor policy again to “no visitors allowed” except for end of life or other extenuating circumstances. Lucas said the hospital is in decent shape when it comes to Personal Protective Equipment, and for the CARES Act funds, the hospital is looking at getting their own equipment for testing for the coronavirus. Lucas gave an update on the current expansion and renovation project for the MRI building, Surgery Department, Acute Care, Long-Term Care, Old Medical Records and the Phase 2 Sewer Project. He said the MRI magnet was delivered Monday, August 17th. The board approved a Resolution for the MRI financing that will be done through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in conjunction with USDA with a 1% interest rate. The board approved the budgeted purchase of a new non-magnetic stretcher for the MRI in the Radiology Department Merry X-Ray Corp. for $3,924, and the non-budgeted purchase of four computer carts with batteries for the Acute Care Isolation Rooms from IMS & Cybernet for a total of $18,948. Chairman Judy Thompson appointed the 2021 Finance Committee and they will be Mike Swyers as the Chairman, Willie Strader and A.J. Seay. The board then went into closed session.
The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting this evening at 5:50 for their public tax rate hearing followed by their regular meeting at 6:00. After the consent agenda and communications, Chelsie Fulton will make a therapy dog presentation before Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed gives her report. The principals will then update the board with reports on each building before the board hears new business. They board will discuss and approved the 2019-2020 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, approve the tax rate established at the tax rate hearing, approve the school resource officer Memorandum of Understanding and then approve the pre-school lease with the Dent County Developmental Disabilities Board. The board will then go into closed session to discuss personnel and real estate before adjourning. The public tax hearing and the regular board meeting will be in the district administrative offices boardroom and are open to the public.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk reminds those with real estate taxes due the Delinquent Tax Sale will be held on the courthouse steps on Monday, August 24th, the fourth Monday of the month as per state statute. The sale will begin at 10:00 in the morning. In order for those with delinquent taxes avoid having their property sold at the tax sale, all the taxes for the last three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) as well as interest and penalties plus advertising costs in the Salem News MUST be paid by this Friday, August 21st. For more information, please contact the Dent County Collector at 729-3911.