Hospital successful with physician recruitment
Linda L. Skiles, M.D., board-certified in family medicine, has joined St. Luke Hospital and Living Center and will begin seeing patients of all ages for primary care July 9.
"We're very pleased to have Dr. Skiles join the St. Luke medical staff," said Jeremy Armstrong, chief executive officer of St. Luke Hospital and Living Center. "As an experienced family physician and former Marion resident, she will join us in giving patients and residents excellent medical care they expect."
Dr. Skiles completed her undergraduate and medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, Edison, N.J. She completed her residency at Via Christi Family Medicine Residency Program in Wichita. Most recently, she worked as a family physician at the Cotton-O'Neil Clinic in Wamego.
Dr. Skiles and her husband, Lee Dalrymple, will relocate to Marion in late June.
She will begin her solo practice July 9 at St. Luke Clinic.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Skiles or for additional information, call the hospital at (620) 382-2177.
Negotiations successful
A physician recently visited St. Luke Hospital and met with officials regarding the possibility of moving her practice to Marion.
Former Marion resident Dr. Linda Skiles met with board members of Marion County Hospital District #1 and Marion Family Physicians staff.
Chief executive officer Jeremy Armstrong told the hospital board March 27 that the visit went well.
Following a 30-minute executive session at the end of the meeting, the board voted to proceed with negotiations with Dr. Skiles.
Dr. Skiles also is the sister of Bruce Skiles, a local chiropractor and anesthetist. For the past three years, Dr. Linda Skiles has practiced in Wamego.
In other business:
— The lab of St. Luke Hospital had its bi-annual inspection, reported Armstrong, and it went well. There were three citations issued regarding documentation with all issues corrected.
— Chief financial officer Hilary Dolbee presented financial information as of February. She reported that cash is up, accounts receivable is down. Gross revenues also are up due to a billing correction in how records are kept to administer drugs.
Gross revenue was $768,000 and net revenues were more than what was budgeted. Hospital census remained lower than anticipated.
Net operating expenses also were down.
— Linda Kannady, director of nursing, reported Dr. John Kosko, a visiting urologist, saw four patients on his first visit to St. Luke. He will return April 4 and already has four new patients scheduled.
— Board member Jerry Dieter asked for clarification of where patients are taken when an ambulance responds to an illness or injury. Kannady said if the patient's condition is unstable, EMS personnel are required to take the patient to the nearest hospital. If the patient is stable, the patient can choose the hospital. Otherwise, there is no particular protocol regarding where patients are taken. It was clarified that St. Luke Hospital can accommodate stroke patients.
— St. Luke Living Center Director Debbie Craig reported the chair lift on the new van broke and will be repaired. The van remains under warranty.
She also reported a resident died and another resident has moved in. There's a need for long-term care because her department continues to receive calls from people looking for vacancies.
— Hospital bylaws were reviewed by the board. The board had discussed the possibility of following Robert's Rules of Order, whether the board's treasurer needed to be bonded separately from the other board members, and if the annual meeting should be changed.
After much discussion, the board approved simpler guidelines for keeping meetings in order other than Robert's Rules of Orders, and will continue to hold its annual meetings in May.
One change for the election of new board members was to have the same board end the annual meeting and let new board members resume their positions at the next meeting following the annual meeting. Election of officers also will be conducted at the June meeting.
It was determined that no additional bond was necessary for the treasurer since the position was covered with the other board members.
The bylaws will be reviewed by chairman Judy Reno and compliance officer Joe Picket and presented at the April meeting.
— The board approved the medical staff bylaws as presented. The district's attorney and active staff reviewed and approved the document.
