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The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors held their regular meeting Thursday in the hospital library. In the Administrators report, the total patient revenue for May was $2,979,000 with an excess of revenues over expenses for the month of $157,151. It was reported that the Recovery Audit Contractors discovered a $64,628 surgery claim error with the hospital having to pay back $15,942. In the Director of Nursing report for month of May, there were 69 acute care patients, 900 emergency room visits, 34 surgery cases, 1,862 outpatient registrations, 285 home health visits, 422 clinic visits and a record number of lab visits at 10,358. Hospital Administrator Dennis Pryor reported that there were 253 participants in the May men and women’s wellness screenings. He said that there would be a general health screening held in September. Pryor also reported that the hospital Relay for Life team raised over $10,000 in donations. The board approved the fiscal year 2011 operating budget with total revenue estimated at $31,212,000 with a net operating revenue of $16,678,000 and expenses at $16,643,000 which leaves a budgeted gain from operations of $35,000. They also approved the fiscal year 2011 capital budget that totals $900,800 with a carry over of $68,100 in capital improvements that include signature devices, hardware for E-forms and the Medical Practice Management software. The board approved an employee wellness competition that will help children in the community by donating funds raised to the “Backpack for Kids” food program. The board approved realignment and updating of the hospital’s Chart of Organization that included amending the positions of Assistant Administrator, Human Resources, Information Systems and Family Medicine. Pryor reported that the hospital’s Long Term Care facility received a quality rating of four out of five. The board approved purchasing a Smart Board for the SBU campus at a cost of $1,800. They also approved purchasing an air conditioner for $1,300 from Johnstone Supply for a patient room, and a replacement printer for the Controller/EMS Director from CompUSA for $302. In non-budgeted items, they approved the purchase of a small refrigerator from Wal-Mart for $150, a server and UPS backup from Automated Business Systems for $7,325, and the operating system and licensing from Insight for $533. In the FY 2011 budget, the board approved the purchase of an updated electrical panel from GE for $100,000, two servers and UPS back-ups from ABS for $13,362, licensing from Insight for $2,059; a tape library and software for Information Systems from Insight for $9,084. They also approved to asphalt and seal portions of the hospital drive for $20,000.  Also approved was a bid of $37,500 for upgrades for the second operating room to make it usable. These upgrades would include humidity control, ceiling replacement and an overhead light. The board approved spending $78,000 for the Long Term Care dining room expansion. The board also approved an estimated expense of $94,000 on several renovation projects throughout the hospital.  The board then voted to go into closed session.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will be chip sealing some routes in Dent County this week. Weather permitting, crews and equipment will be on the roadway at these areas between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Scheduled to start today will be chip sealing on Route E, from Highway 119 to Route K, and on Route HH, from Highway 32 to the end of state maintenance. MoDOT performs chip-seal resurfacing on roads that are in generally fair to better condition. The benefits include crack sealing, increased skid resistance and correction of minor rutting, which extends the life of the pavement in a cost effective way. While working, flaggers and a pilot car will be used to manage traffic. When motorists travel a newly chip-sealed road marked by "Fresh Oil" and "Loose Gravel" signs, they should keep their speed down and allow plenty of distance between vehicles to prevent small rocks from coming loose and hitting oncoming traffic. Allow ample driving time to your destination.

The City of Salem Finance Committee will hold a meeting, called by Mayor Gary Brown today in the City Hall Council Chambers starting at 1:00 pm for the consideration of the budget for the year ending 2011. The meeting of the City of Salem Finance Committee is open to the public.

On Tuesday, June 22^nd at 6:30 in the evening, the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department arrested 54 year-old Robert Malone of Salem. According to the highway patrol report and court records, he was charged with three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was taken to the Phelps County Jail and held on a $50,000 bond.

US Representative Jo Ann Emerson announced that her staff would visit with constituents throughout the 8^th District at Congressional Connection Stops. The Congressional Connection Program gets staff out of the office and into communities where they can have these types of meetings on a drop-in basis. Stops in our area will be this morning from 9:00 to 10:00 at in St. James at Diana’s Diner, and from 11:00 until noon in Salem at the Chamber of Commerce at 200 South Main Street.

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