Hospital resorts to using cell phones during recent service outage

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Phones at Nevada Regional Medical Center were down part of Monday and Tuesday. The outage created problems for both patients and the hospital since both incoming and outgoing lines were affected. NRMC CEO Judy Feuquay said she was told the problem was not within the facility.

"I talked to the company and they said the problem was not with the lines inside the hospital," Feuquay said.

Workers resorted to technology that wouldn't have been widely available a few short years ago -- cell phones.

"A lot of people were using cell phones to communicate and that seemed to work," Feuquay said.

The board celebrated Dr. William Turner's birthday during their dinner meeting with his favorite dessert, cherry pie. Feuquay offered to serve Turner a slice of the pie and Turner said, "I've already got a piece," and proceeded to demonstrate by taking a bite. Feuquay later served him a second slice.

"How big of a slice do you want, large or small?" Feuquay asked.

"I'll take whatever you give me," Turner said.

"Sounds like he's asking for a large slice," Board Attorney Brian Breckenridge said.

The bond refunding project was on the top of the list of items on Feuquay's CEO report. She reported on the rating assigned to the hospital's upcoming bond issue, BBB-, and said the bond team was working through the final contract language on insurance that would improve the hospital's rating from BBB- to A.

"The rating will allow the hospital to issue the new bonds with the investment grate rating, making them more attractive, with less risk to individual investors," Feuquay said. "This will provide a lower interest rate and even more savings,"

Feuquay reported that three Information Technology vendors were at the hospital to demonstrate their systems. The IT steering team held a meeting to discuss the evaluation results and plan visits to hospitals having the type of systems being considered.

"We should have a vendor recommendation for the board by April," Feuquay said.

NRMC Cindy Buck said the patient financial services review was necessary to prepare for the new information system.

To prevent the hospital from experiencing a huge spike in accounts receivable, the plan aims to reduce that amount as much as possible to reduce the effects of the changeover to the new system. Accounts receivable will still go up, but it is hoped that by planning ahead the amount it goes up will not be huge.

Feuquay said that physician recruitment had been going well with two new physicians in the past month slated to join the medical staff.

"Dr. John Weaver is working to obtain his medical license for Missouri, we expect him to begin his practice in late March or early April," Feuquay said.

Feuquay told the board the hospital staff had taken a survey to evaluate employee satisfaction. The purpose was to help improve retention of employees and physicians.

In other business the board:

* Approved extending the contract of Dr. John Torontow as Rural Health Clinic Medical Director.

* Approved a new contract for the provider of uniforms, at a lower price than previously.

* Approved a resolution allowing the deposit of funds into a Certificate of Deposit.

* Approved going forward on a second chiller for the North Tower.