Local News- Thursday, May 23rd, 2019

The Salem Park and Recreation Department announces the Opening Day Ceremony for the Baseball, Softball and T-Ball participants and their parents will be held today at the Blue Field. From 4:30 to 7:00, participants in the program are welcome to come and get a free hamburger or hot dog along with a bottle of water FREE at the Salem City Park Concession stand. The ceremonies will begin at 6:00 that will include the throwing of the first pitch by former City of Salem Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon, the presentation of colors by the American Legion, the National Anthem will be performed followed by the individual players on each team being announced to the crowd on the Blue Field as they run from 3rd base to home plate. A team photo will also be taken on the Red Field. Parents can find their children after the team photo in front of the Red Field on the concrete pad. Parking for the event is available in the city park by the T-Ball Fields, swimming pool, at the Salem Community Center@The Armory as well as directly across the street from that building, and off Park Place Drive by the Red Field. Please do NOT park on the grass at the Salem City Park. In order to make traffic flow better and avoid congestion for those in the Salem City Park, one-way traffic through the Salem City Park will be implemented for the Opening Day Ceremonies and continue on game nights. The Salem Police Department is asking everyone to please enter your vehicle through the main entrance to the Salem City Park off Route J and exit through the back gate on Thomas Avenue to North Park Street.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors met for the regular meeting Tuesday at the hospital library. Two directors were in attendance to provide the board with reports on their departments. Ashley Sullins gave the report on the Home Health Department from the period of October 2018 to March 2019 which showed an overall rating of 93% satisfaction. She said her department showed a profit of $143,260 during that period. Sullins also presented the star rating comparison of the home health providers in the area and Salem was the highest with a four star rating and a patient satisfaction rating of five. Bobby Sullins from Radiology gave his report on trends and went through each service to show the growth in his department from nuclear med to body density and all other areas. He stated the Radiology Department billed over a million dollars for the first time last July and they have accomplished that number in eight of the last nine months. He is looking forward to having an in-house MRI by 2020 so that even more demand can be met immediately. In the summary of operations for April, Chief Financial Officer Monica Stogsdill reported on the gain from operations of $80,328 with an excess of revenues over expenses of $88,328 for the month. In April, there were 103 patients admitted to the hospital and the amount of acute care patients per day for April came in at 10.5. A large amount of medical and surgery patients occurred during April with 314 in-patient census days being reported. The cash flow statement showed a decrease in cash of $4,752 for the month with days in accounts receivable dropping to 55. Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Hines reported during the month there were 780 emergency room visits, 216 ambulance runs with 152 patients being transported to the hospital, 32 surgical procedures, 1,776 outpatient registrations, 334 home health visits, 7,978 lab tests, 1,417 radiological procedures and 834 rehab treatments. She also said the hospital did not get enough HCAHPS surveys to get star rated as there were 95 responses for the MBQIP Patient Engagement Quality report. They must have 100 to get a star rating, but all the categories were either better or comparable to the state and national averages. The days cash-on-hand for the hospital stands at 62 year-to-date and that is consistent with the Critical Access Hospital state average of 65 for Critical Access Hospitals and above the rural hospital average of 60. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas gave a report on the Hospital Auxiliary meeting as they had eight members present to discuss fundraisers. They will not meet again until September 3rd. Chief Operating Officer Chris Strickland reported on the hospital foundation and said there is still time get a team registered for the Annual Foundation Golf Tournament to be held on June 7th at the Spring Creek Golf Club. He also said the “Wings and Strings” fundraiser on August 3rd is progressing nicely. He said there is a new Stroke Support Group and it continues to grow. He also stated Nutritionalist Jason Edwards will be starting a Diabetes Support Group next month. The board approved Courtesy Staff privileges for Shukri Abdullah, MD and Gerald Garwood, DO, for the Emergency Department. The Finance Committee met and the board will be able to review the budget before voting on it in June. The budget shows an average increase in rates of about 4% across the board. They expect expenses to increase between zero and 4% in salaries, 4% in the retirement plan, 4% in supply costs and 7.5% in drug costs. The capital budget was also reviewed for the upcoming fiscal year that includes capital purchases of $544,947 and lease obligations that total $225,151. The operating budget showed a slight reduction of patients expected in the Emergency Department with an increase in Acute Care patient admissions. Total net operating revenue in the 2019 fiscal year is expected to be about $26,893,788 while the expected expenses at $26,828,854 that would leave an expected gain from operations of $64,934 and an excess of revenues after tax revenue at $564,934. The Finance Committee then approved Phase 1 of the hospital expansion which will address needs specified by the Life Safety Code and also create a new general entrance, create an MRI room and move materials management and more. The board approved the purchase of a disinfection system for ultrasound probes from Phillips Healthcare and Nanosonics for $8,275 before going into closed session.