Texas County Memorial Hospital is expecting to pick up some new patients thanks to a new program unveiled by the Department of the Army at Fort Leonard Wood, board members heard at their monthly meeting last week.
“Due to physician shortages at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, TCMH and other area hospitals have been asked to participate in ‘The Choice is Yours’ campaign,” explained Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH.
The military health insurance plan, known as TRICARE, requires that all area active-duty military members enroll to a primary care manager at the Fort Leonard Wood hospital. Under the new “The Choice is Yours” campaign, all active-duty family members, retirees or retiree family members and over-65 TRICARE Plus members are eligible to choose a primary care manager of his or her choice that accepts the insurance.
“The hospital and our clinics have accepted TRICARE for many years, and we are happy to be able to help out our military families in whatever way we can,” Murray said.
Murray noted that TCMH expects the clinics in Licking, Houston and Cabool and the hospital services in Houston to be convenient to many active and retired TRICARE military members that live outside the south gate of Fort Leonard Wood in the Evening Shade, Roby, Plato and Success areas.
“Many area hospitals have experienced an influx of patients from General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital’s emergency department,” Murray said. “At TCMH, our healthcare providers are willing to accept TRICARE patients and to become long-term primary care managers for our active and retired military personnel.”
In other news, Murray reported that TCMH is waiting on approval from the Missouri Bureau of Emergency Medical Services for extension of the TCMH ambulance license to Mountain Grove.
“St. John’s has filed with the state an objection to TCMH providing ambulance service in Mountain Grove,” Murray said. “However, there is not a ‘formal objection process.’ There has never been an objection filed with the state regarding extension of ambulance licensure.”
Murray explained that the law firm representing TCMH has sent a letter to the Bureau of EMS stating the TCMH case and explaining that according to state EMS statutes, the TCMH ambulance license should be extended.
“We are going down the proper path to offer ambulance service in Mountain Grove, as requested by the people of Mountain Grove,” Murray said.
Murray noted that in providing ambulance and physician service in Mountain Grove, TCMH would better be able to serve the people of Mountain Grove that use TCMH. “We will enhance the healthcare available to the people of Mountain Grove and provide them with options,” Murray said.
The plans for the clinic and ambulance base have been designed, and TCMH is awaiting word from the state to proceed with the building project.
In other business, Murray reported that the plan of action presented to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) for an Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) violation by TCMH was accepted after the plan’s initial submission.
DHSS re-visited TCMH in mid-May for a follow-up investigation, giving a “keep up the good work” acclamation to Murray, Doretta Todd-Willis, chief nursing officer, and Linda Pamperien, chief financial officer.
“I cannot commend enough Doretta and the group of managers that worked closely with her to prepare the plan of action that was submitted to the state,” Murray said.
Murray reported that the hospital information technology department recently implemented a wireless Internet connection in the hospital that can be used by patients and patient family members.
“Wireless Internet access is a trend in many hospitals, and it’s something that we can do to boost our patients’ satisfaction and the quality of their stays with us,” Murray explained.
Murray presented an updated Internet usage policy that allows TCMH to monitor the type of wireless connections that are being made by the public at TCMH.
Regarding the recent swine flu, Murray reported that TCMH worked very closely with the Texas County Health Department and other hospitals.
“Our infection control nurse manager, Colette Briggs, was very diligent about ensuring that we were following every aspect of surveillance for the flu virus,” Murray explained.
Pamperien presented the monthly financial report. The hospital had a negative bottom line of $2,109.65 for April, with a negative year to date balance of $193,284.
Pamperien noted that hospital admissions and outpatient services continue to be down. “We are daily watching expenses, and we aren’t buying anything unless we absolutely need it,” Pamperien said.
“With the return of Dr. (Eugene) Honeywell to his clinic and the addition of Dr. (Russell) Huq in September, I believe we can end this year on a good note,” Murray added to the financial report.
Over the past few months, TCMH was able to continue to provide patient care at the TCMH Family Clinic in Licking by utilizing emergency department physicians in the clinic. Honeywell, family practice physician, has returned to the clinic and is taking appointments for new and established patients.
Huq, family practice physician, will join the TCMH Medical Complex in September. Dr. John Paulson, family practice physician, will join the TCMH Medical Complex in July 2010.
Brooke Fair, family nurse practitioner, joined the TCMH Medical Complex in May and is working with current family nurse practitioner, Debra Buckle, to transition patients over to a new healthcare provider.
“We appreciate the understanding of our patients as we move forward in our clinics,” Murray said.
Present at the meeting were Murray; Pamperien; Joleen Senter Durham, director of public relations; Libby Waterson, education director; Dr. John Duff, CoxHealth representative; and board members Omanez Fockler, Janet Wiseman, Jane Kirkwood, Mark Hampton and Mark Forbes.
The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is noon Tuesday, June 23, in the downstairs meeting room of the hospital.