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Hospital grapples with space issue for new equipment

Staff reporter

Two inches of space is causing a lot of headaches for St. Luke Hospital and its radiology department.

Joe Pickett, department director, reported Dec. 20 to the board of directors of Marion County Hospital District #1, that the site engineer for General Electric will not approve the installation of new nuclear medicine equipment because the space in the room designated for the equipment lacks two inches of space for mobility.

When the equipment is moved for various procedures, it hits an interior wall. Engineers have not been able to figure out a configuration where it won't touch the wall.

The issue should not have occurred because engineers with GE, where the equipment was purchased, had determined the equipment would fit in the space prior to the hospital's order.

Hillary Dolbee, chief financial officer, said there were options to consider. GE offered to sell the district a different camera for $30,000 that would fit in the room, the equipment could be moved to a different room, or a hole could be cut in a wall that would provide the necessary mobility.

Pickett said there is a three-foot buffer area required around the equipment for GE to provide maintenance.

Emmett Schuster, interim chief executive officer, said he wanted GE to furnish an architect to determine if enlarging the room by cutting a hole in the Sheetrock would be sufficient.

The consensus of the board was not to purchase another camera but to work with the available rooms.

In other business:

— The board gave authorization to Schuster to negotiate a three-month contract with McPherson physicians regarding weekend emergency room coverage.

A contract with the hospital had expired and was not renewable due to litigation about a no-compete clause between the doctor and a former employer that also provides the service.

Previously, the hospital paid $60 per hour for weekend ER coverage but the going rate now is $85 per hour.

It also was reported that hospital personnel may not be successful in locating individual physicians each month and a contract at the going rate was the most feasible solution.

Marion Family Physicians personnel provide ER coverage during the week.

Schuster told the board that El Dorado pays $115 per hour and Emporia pays $120 per hour.

Board member Martin Tice said the board had no choice.

"We need to have the ER open," said Tice. Schuster agreed and said the district's license requires the ER to be open every weekend.

— After considerable discussion, the board decided to renew the hospital's membership to Kansas Hospital Association for $6,100, with a vote of 4-2 — Tice and board member Ken Vinduska voting no.

Dolbee said the association provided lobbying services, information, and discounted training.

Board member Judy Reno said she believed in belonging to professional organizations and it would provide a value to the staff to interact with other hospitals.

The annual dues are based on revenue.

KHA also facilitates bio-terrorism grants the hospital receives annually.

— Auditors BKD will receive $3,650 for a Medicaid cost report.

— Board members and hospital staff discussed the results of a recent survey. There were 8,000 surveys distributed and 700 returned for an eight percent return.

Additional statistical information will be provided at the next board meeting to determine the next step.

— Resumes were distributed to board members of the top five candidates for CEO. The pool will be reduced to two candidates who will meet with the board and visit the community.

It was anticipated a new CEO could be in place by March 1.

— St. Luke Hospital could be the first hospital in the state to coordinate a county medical needs assessment with KHA and a state rural health agency.

— A home health review program is being coordinated, said Schuster. He added that most critical care hospitals have released home health care services because it affects reimbursements. Long-term care units also affect reimbursements, he said.

The next hospital board meeting is at 7 p.m. Jan. 17, in the clinic basement.

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