Hospital CEO seeks increase in number of psychiatric beds

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada Regional Medical Center's Behavioral Health Unit is set to expand -- again. Originally constructed with 10 beds the unit was expanded to 12 shortly thereafter. Now NRMC CEO Judith Feuquay asked the board to approve adding four more beds.

Feuquay sent a letter May 14 to the Missouri Department of Health, Health Care Facilities Regulation requesting the state to increase the number of beds licensed at the facility to a total of 57 to accommodate the increase.

"The need for adult psychiatric beds in Southwest Missouri is very evident by the census our unit maintains, and the number of calls that we are unable to accommodate at numerous times," Feuquay said in the letter. "It is further anticipated the need for this type service will only increase with the reduction of acute psychiatric beds at Southwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center in El Dorado Springs, Mo. on June 15, 2004, and their total elimination by July 2005."

Feuquay said she hoped the board would approve the increase because she had already received the state's approval. "I've never seen any state respond this quickly," Feuquay said.

The board discussed the Barone Alzheimer's Care Unit and the fact it hasn't had a profitable month for two and a half years despite maintaining a high census. Maureen Short, Barone administrator, said that costs were low, but that with the number of beds available Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements did not entirely cover them.

Dr. Jerry Laster said that in the future Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements would only decrease resulting in an increased problem.

"We need to look at this and see what we can do to improve the situation," Laster said. "If we aren't covering expenses with a full census now, it will only get worse."

The board voted to look into a possible increase in capacity to make the unit profitable.

The Nutritional Services, Housekeeping, Surgery, GI Lab and OB departments will be getting different uniforms. The board voted to approve a contract with Clean Uniform Company to provide each employee with uniforms and a locker to store them in for $5 per week per employee.

The board discussed the Rich Hill and Sheldon clinics' need for new hematology analyzers. Dr. Jerry Laster questioned the need for advanced analyzers at the clinics.

"If the patient really needs to have these tests we should be seeing him here. We have the capability for those tests and many more," Laster said. If the doctor at the clinic is just doing the tests to reassure the patient then they can send the sample here for analysis and wait for the results until the next day."

Wayne Schulz, regional associate vice president for Quorum Health, said that the units rental costs, $5326.65 for each clinic per month, would amount to over $50,000 over five years.

The board decided to look into the cost of a unit that would meet the legal requirements but that was less expensive.

In other business the board:

* Approved renting space to Research Hospital Pulmonary for $18,000 per year.

* Approved an agreement with Datex Omeda Service for anesthesia machines.

* Approved contracting with Southwestern Bell for dedicated Internet access, frame relay from the hospital to the clinics, and long distance service.

* Approved changes to the Auxiliary, Medical Staff, and Board of Directors bylaws.

* Approved changes to the committee meeting schedule.

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