Hospital's switch to new software goes well

The changeover to the new Meditech system is proceeding on schedule and the hospital's financial condition remains in good shape. That, and other good news was on the agenda of the Nevada Regional Medical Center's board of directors meeting Tuesday evening.

Hospital CEO Judy Feuquay told the board that the payroll and general ledger modules went live Aug. 1, with a successful payroll and month-end closing of the new system.

The changeover is going well even though there was an unanticipated change. The software vendor for the medical practice management system upgraded the hardware requirements without notifying either the hospital or Meditech which resulted in the need to purchase additional hardware at a cost of approximately $6,000.

"We're doing well with the changeover and we'll be having some intensive training of staff over the next several months," Feuquay said.

In other business, the board approved insurance on the hospital and the two long-term care facilities, Moore-Few Care Center and Barone's Care Center. The property insurance for Moore-Few and Barone's went from $11,053 to $10,389 and the general and professional liability insurance went from $76,249 to $62,081.

Dr. William Turner was concerned that the reduction might be from a change in protection but CFO Cindy Buck allayed his fears.

"Why is there so large a decrease?" Turner said. "Is the coverage changing?"

"No, the market has softened and that's why we're seeing a decrease," Buck said.

The hospital's boiler and machinery premium increased from $5,152 to $5,249, the property went from $35,565 to $33,777 and Monroe Inland Marine (for the medical equipment) went from $5,740 to $6,441.

The board also heard from Maxine Halcomb, president of the NRMC Auxiliary, on the previous year's activity.

"Well, I told you last year that was the last one for me, but here you see me again," Halcomb said.

Halcomb told the board the auxiliary raised a total of $18,111.60 through book and jewelry sales, the gift shop, commissions on vending machines, baby pictures and flowers.

The organization used the money to donate a total of $21,209.40 to purchase equipment for the hospital such as 100 happy hugger pillows, two vital signs machines, two NU STEP machines, six OB recliners and 12 wheelchairs.

In addition to the donations of equipment the auxiliary contributed 7,135 hours to the hospital. Halcomb estimated that if a dollar amount equal to the starting wage for NRMC employees, $7.72, was assigned to the donated time the auxiliary contributed $55,082.20 worth of time to the hospital.

Jack Mead updated the board on the NRMC Foundation's efforts which included the fifth annual Caring With Pride Golf Classic, the second annual Gala, the Tree of Shining Memories, and the Lullaby Baby Wall.

Projects funded in 2008 have totaled $10,864.

In other business the board:

* Approved $32,000 for parking lot repair.

* Approved $35,000 for hallway renovation from the South Tower to the Medical Arts Building.

* Approved adopting a new survey from the Iowa Hospital Association Board Self-Assessment Guide --with their permission.