Robinson is newest hospital board member
Staff reporter
Elora Robinson defeated Gene Winkler and was elected the hospital district's newest board member. Voters also re-elected Greg Bowers to another four-year term.
Thirty-five people voted May 23 for the two directors of Marion County Hospital District #1.
The positions held by longtime board members Bowers and Winkler were up for election.
Jim LaBelle and Robinson, both of Marion, were on the ballot with Bowers and Winkler.
Prior to casting votes, board chairman Winkler announced candidate LaBelle had requested his name be withdrawn from the ballot.
In opening remarks prior to the election, Robinson said she has lived in Marion County for 47 years, had three children born at St. Luke Hospital, and wanted to keep the hospital open and thriving.
She said she could bring a new and different outlook to the board, was interested in serving, and had the time to do it.
Bowers said he has been a member of the board since the 1980s. A Marion High School graduate, Bowers said he represented the rural, agricultural community in the hospital district, not just Marion.
Winkler said he had served on the board for nearly 25 years and during that time the responsibility of the board had changed. He also wanted to serve another term.
When the ballots were tabulated and the winners announced, the annual meeting was adjourned and the regular meeting opened with the election of officers. Judy Reno will serve as chairman, Martin Tice as vice chairman, Robinson as secretary, and Bowers as treasurer.
In other business:
— Chief financial officer Hilary Dolbee reported the hospital was financially doing "OK" thanks to a generous donation and annual tax draws which will enable the hospital to turn a small profit.
"We're getting better," said Dolbee, and will continue to improve with the purchase and installation of new equipment.
— A new nuclear medicine camera and workstation has been purchased. The workstation has been delivered and the camera soon will be.
Hospital personnel had been battling with General Electric representatives about the new equipment. The district approved the purchase of the equipment through a lease-purchase agreement with Marion National Bank, but GE did not approve the design of the room.
A new plan was formulated and approved by all parties involved.
GE also will provide an educational lunch with continuing education credits for physicians who attend.
Radiology department director Joe Pickett said the new camera should be operable by Tuesday.
— Board members were told by personnel that no laptops with patient information were in operation. Bowers asked the question because of a recent scandal that involved veterans' information being stolen from a laptop that an employee had taken home.
Dolbee said some department heads utilized laptops but none had sensitive patient or district information.
— A contract for emergency room coverage during the week by physicians of Marion Family Physicians was approved. The physicians had requested $60 per hour for holiday pay.
It was explained that the local physicians are paid $35 per hour for regular weekly coverage from 5 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. The physicians are paid whether or not they are called in because they cannot be paid for emergency room services during their office hours. When the physicians work the emergency room during office hours, they are not paid by the hospital.
— Chief executive officer Jeremy Armstrong reported a new surgeon will begin in September at Memorial Hospital in McPherson. A meeting will be held with the physician regarding him providing clinical services at St. Luke Hospital.
— Board member Bruce Skiles asked if it was feasible for the district to purchase ultrasound equipment. Equipment costs are lower than before, said Pickett, but qualified technicians were expensive.
— The living center and home health department have been sharing personnel to reduce costs. Janet Herzet, director of Marion County Home Care, said a nurse was working part-time for her department and at the living center.
— Debbie Craig, director of St. Luke Living Center, said in the 20 years she has been in the position, this was the first time the residential population has been this low. There are 29 residents in a 34-bed facility.
She is researching methods of marketing the facility.
— The board also approved a dress code for employees, a policy for a tobacco-free campus, and capitalization of fixed assets policy.
