The Texas County Commission said Tuesday afternoon that it was preparing a response to a Texas County Memorial Hospital announcement concerning safety issues related to treating county prisoners released from custody and payments they say are owed by the county.
The hospital board met with John Hammons, legal counsel for the hospital, at its monthly meeting last Tuesday, March 27. Hammons addressed “the safety concern for both the providers and staff” as well as the “financial concern that is burdening TCMH.”
Wes Murray, TCMH chief executive officer, told board members last October the county had planned to release prisoners in the hospital parking lot. The prisoners would seek their own medical care, and the county would not have financial responsibility, he said.
“Despite the negative impact for the county citizens and TCMH, the Texas County Sheriff’s Department has continued to release prisoners in the TCMH parking lot and hospital to let them seek their own care,” Murray said.
Murray described at the meeting two recent situations he labeled “dangerous.”
He said the sheriff’s department recently had custody of a prisoner who was in violation of their parole, but needed medical attention. He said deputies brought the prisoner to TCMH and once the prisoner was admitted to the hospital, Murray said the person was immediately released from county custody.
“We cannot force these patients to stay in the hospital,” Murray said. “Several times they have walked right out of the hospital doors, back onto the streets of our community. These patients have criminal records that include assault, breaking and entering and burglary just to name a few.”
The second situation, Murray said, was a patient with multiple counts of violence in their history. The patient came to TCMH after assaulting their caregiver. The patient spent almost four days in the TCMH emergency department, Murray said.
The patient was violent while at TCMH and hostile toward all of the healthcare professionals who tried to provide care, Murray said. In addition to the hostile behavior toward the providers and staff, the patient did several thousand dollars’ worth of damage to the emergency department and the equipment while they were here.
“These are prime examples why this topic of concern was addressed today,” said Murray.
Texas County officials were invited to the meeting. County Clerk Laura Crowley attended.
Murray said the sheriff’s department wants TCMH to call the department when a prisoner is released from the hospital so the patient can be taken back into custody. To alert the sheriff’s department would be a violation of federal privacy laws, Murray said.
“Workplace violence is eight-times more likely to happen in a hospital setting than any other facility,” Murray said. “The safety of our providers and staff comes first, and I will help ensure that it stays that way.”
Murray said the recent incidents are just a couple of the “many examples of concern” that TCMH has for the safety of their providers and staff.
“The financial concern that is burdening TCMH is also something that needs addressed,” Hammons said. “We have a letter prepared to send to the county, but it requires board approval to do so.”
The letter explained TCMH will be providing emergent care only going forward to the prisoners of the Texas County Sheriff’s Department. TCMH will no longer be providing routine outpatient care to the prisoners.
“The county owes TCMH approximately $220,000, and we have to stop the hemorrhaging somewhere,” Murray said. The county has disputed its liability.
The board of trustees unanimously approved the letter to be sent to the county. On Tuesday, Presiding Commissioner Fred Stenger said it would be releasing a statement later.
NEW PHYSICIANS
Murray said TCMH has three new physicians that will begin working at the hospital later this summer: Doug Crase, MD, family medicine and obstetrics; Jason Loden, DO, general surgeon; and Teresa Loden, DO, pediatrician. All three physicians and their families visited the area recently, making plans for relocating in a few months.
FLU, OTHER NEWS
Murray said the influenza-related visitor restrictions at TCMH have ended. On March 12, the visitor restrictions were released since the number of cases dramatically decreased, Murray said.
Linda Pamperien, TCMH chief financial officer, presented the financial report for February.
“Overall our revenues were down for the month, but our inpatient volume was slightly higher than our budgeted expectations,” Pamperien said. “Hospice and home health revenue were also up slightly for the month due to picking up some additional patients.”
Overall expenses for February were down $377,464, according to Pamperien.
TCMH finished February with a negative bottom line of $145,510, and a year-to-date bottom line of $75,847.
Pamperien told board members that the 2017 audit of TCMH was conducted in March. Auditors from BKD, LLC in Springfield will present TCMH’s final numbers from 2017 at the April board of trustees meeting.
Present at the meeting were Murray; Pamperien; Amanda Turpin, quality management director; Doretta Todd-Willis, chief nursing officer; Rachel Davis, director of public relations; board members Jim Perry, OD,; Jay Loveland, Omanez Fockler, Janet Wiseman; Mark Hampton; and guests, Hammons; William Mahoney, CoxHealth representative; and Laura Crowley, Texas County clerk.