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The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors held their regular monthly meeting Thursday evening. Dr Ryan Pharr, the Chief of Staff, gave the report from the medical staff meeting and they recommended courtesy staff privilege for Thomas Pinson, MD as an ER physician, and the reappointment of courtesy staff privileges for these ER physicians: Anne DeLonais, MD, David Hagedorn, MD, Ryan Hall, DO, James Riscoe, MD, Paul Schaefer, MD, Craig Simmons, DIO and D. Sean Smith, DO. In the summary of operations for the month of February, numbers were down from previous months as there were only 41 inpatient admissions and 164 inpatient census days. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $25,992 but overall for the month showed an excess of revenues over expenses of $104,108 after adding the unrestricted tax revenue. Hospital Administrator Dennis Pryor said that the hospital ending cash balance for the month was over $5 million and that is the first time that has happened at the Salem Hospital. Accounts Receivable were down over half a million dollars as days in accounts receivable fell to an unbelievable 38 days. In the director of nurses report, there were 46 acute care patients admitted in February, 687 emergency room visits with a incredible turnaround time of 101 minutes in the ER, 166 ambulance runs with 164 patients assessed, 25 surgery cases, 1,558 outpatient registrations, 188 Home Health Visits, 7,619 lab tests, 1,010 radiological procedures, 207 CT scans, 41 MRI scans, 18 nuclear med scans, 232 rehab treatments, 196 dialysis treatments and 343 clinical visits. The board discussed physician recruitment and reviewed the new electronic medical record timeline. Pryor stated that there were 45 participants in the diabetes and kidney screening held in March and that is down from last year’s screening numbers. Pryor then discussed the hospital lagoon situation with the board and the engineers’ top recommendation to correct the problem is land application, but the hospital and Seville Nursing Center do not have enough land at this time, as they need an additional five acres. The board reviewed and adopted a new cell phone policy, then approved a number of changes to the hospital employee handbook. The next finance committee meeting will be held April 12^th at 5:00 at the hospital library, and Judy Thompson and Joe Brand were named to help develop a committee to form the SMDH Hospital Foundation. The board approved the budgeted purchase of LCD monitor and LaserJet Printer for Long-Term Care from CompUSA for $157 and $511 respectively, and a KVM Switch Bundle for Information Systems from PC Connection for $617. Non-budgeted purchases approved by the board include a syringe pump from Smith Medical for the Emergency Room for $2,495, and electronic thermometer for Acute care from Owens and Minor for $191, a Bariatric Commode for Acute Care from Cardinal Healthcare for $403, a new garage door for EMS from Dent County Overhead Door for $820, barcode labeling software from Pearson Medical Technologies for the Pharmacy for $2,544, a Medication Verifier for the Pharmacy from RXScan for $1,690, a barcode label printer from CPSI for $1,161 for the Pharmacy, and a demo medication carousel for the Pharmacy from PHACTS for $156,380 that will be paid for over 60 months for $3,172 per month with a one dollar buyout. There is also an annual support cost with this system of $11,250. The board then voted to go into closed session.

Roadwork continues in the KSMO listening area this week. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will perform shoulder repairs on Highway 32 in Dent County, from West of Salem city limits, continuing west for seven miles, starting today. Weather permitting, crews and equipment will be on the roadway between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Shoulder repair work involves removing ruts, low areas and high spots on the shoulders. While performing this function, crews and equipment are located directly on or near the roadway. Motorists are urged to exercise caution when moving through the work zone. MoDOT will perform edge rut repair on Highway 19 in Dent County from the north city limits to Route TT, and on Highway 68 in Dent and Phelps Counties, from Highway 19 in Dent County to Route JJ in Phelps County, beginning today. Weather permitting, crews and equipment will be on the roadway between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Edge rut repair work requires placing material at the edge of the roadway and is necessary to reduce shoulder drop off. While performing this function, crews and equipment are located directly on or near the roadway. Motorists are urged to exercise caution when moving through the work zone. For additional information regarding these or other transportation-related topics, call the MoDOT Customer Service Center toll free, at 1-888-ASK MoDOT (275-6636). 

You are invited to the 7^th Annual Business Expo, sponsored by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, The City of Salem, KSMO Radio and the Salem News. The Business Expo will be held on Saturday, April 10^th at the Salem Senior High School Gymnasium from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. This would be a good time to come and check out businesses located in the Salem area and see what kind of services they have to offer. For more information regarding the 7^th Annual Business Expo, call the Chamber at 729-6900.

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