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The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors held their regular monthly meeting at the hospital library Thursday evening. At the meeting, the board saw how the new TeleHealth system works when Cindy Fry called Terri Bensken in Columbia. TeleHealth is now in 44 counties at 157 sites and in the city of St. Louis. Bensken said that Salem could access any of those hospitals as well as any other hospital that has equipment that is comparable with that in Salem. Controller Stephanie Wofford gave the summary of operations for the month of June that showed the hospital had an excess of revenues over expenses of $24,905.00. In a new financial page created by Hospital Administrator Dennis Pryor, current activity was compared to the previous year along with income derived from that service as well as the expenses. For example, in surgery, there was an increase in activity of 29% with a 30% increase in revenue and only a 4% increase in expenses. On the year, revenues this year were 11% greater than last year and expenses were 6% more. Director of Nursing Carol Lacy reported that during the month of May there were 835 emergency room visits with 75 transfers, 195 ambulance runs with 38 dry runs, 24 surgeries, 291 Home Health Care, 8,060 lab tests, 25 MRI tests, 294 rehabs, 346 CT scans, 1,172 radiological procedures, 147 dialysis visits, 25 nuclear med scans and 367 clinical visits. In the auxiliary report, Hospital Administrator Dennis Pryor said that the Bath and Beauty fundraiser that was to be held August 13th has been cancelled as the firm that holds the fundraisers is not doing them anymore. New officers of the auxiliary are Teresa Whelan as President, Jaquetta Noakes as Vice-President, Gina Daniels as the Secretary, and Liz Elliot as the treasurer. Pryor reported that 104 responses were submitted from the emergency room with all of them coming back with a 95% approval rating in all areas, while only 19 inpatient responses were returned with most of the categories reaching 100% satisfactory levels. The expenditures to date on the new Physicians Office Building III are $759,080. Administrator Pryor stated that an internist will be visiting Salem August 16^th and 17^th, and there was one emergency room physician recruited during the month. The employee wellness program has 48 members with 25 of them enrolled at either Pure Fitness or the Cardiovascular Wellness Center. Carol Lacy then explained the review of the state survey for the annual licensure of the Long Term Care where there were fairly minor deficiencies in eight areas, but all have been corrected and re-inspected by the state without any further blemishes. Pryor explained about a meeting he attended concerning a state wide hospital employee health consortium and asked the board to approve a “good faith” deposit of $500 to see if this is something that could benefit the hospital and the board approved. There will be a public tax hearing in August on the 21^st at 5:45 in the afternoon, which is open to the public atthe hospital library. The board approved accepting a grant, if offered, from Missouri Enterprises for them to do perform a process efficiency study at the hospital at no cost that could also benefit the hospital by the creation of a new recruiting movie of Salem. The board then reviewed the 27 “Never” events that should occur in a hospital, then reviewed the 17 “events” that Medicare will not provide reimbursement with eight of the those starting October 1^st this year, and the remaining nine starting in 2009. The board approved the budgeted purchase of an ocular measurement device for the lab for $125 from Al Witt and Co, approved a catheterization training mannequin for nursing for a cost of $389 from Henry Schein, a stack on storage bin for accounting from Automated Business Systems for $452, two auto scrubbers from Higyam for $20,000,a refrigerated unit for the dietary department from US Foodservice for $1,836, three computers from ABS for the information systems for $1,942 and a printer from Global for $103. The board also approved a non-budgeted purchase of a computer table and lateral file cabinet for administration for $507 from ABS. The board then elected new officers with Joe Brand being elected Chairman, Sheila Kunkel remaining as Vice-Chairman, and Judy Thompson being elected Secretary. The board then went into closed session.

Sports [TOP]

Johan Santana hurled his first complete game as a member of the Mets and the New York bats backed the effort in a 9-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, in the rubber match of a three-game set. Santana (9-7) surrendered only a solo home run to Albert Pujols, one of six St. Louis hits, while striking out five and walking one. Kyle Lohse (12-3) tied a season-high with seven runs allowed on 11 hits in five-plus innings. Lohse had won his last nine decisions and was unbeaten in his last 14 starts. The surprise right-hander had allowed three or fewer earned runs in five straight starts, prior to Sunday's thumping. The Cardinals travel to Atlanta to face the Braves tonight at 5:50 on KSMO Radio.

Billy Butler finished 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and four runs driven in, as Kansas City topped Tampa Bay, 6-1, in the finale of a four-game set with the Rays. Kyle Davies (4-2) was efficient in five-plus innings of work, as he allowed one run on six hits and a pair of walks. The Royals bullpen threw four innings of scoreless relief, as the club earned the series split but wrapped up a seven-game homestand with a 2-5 mark. David DeJesus doubled twice and drove in a run, while Mike Aviles finished 2- for-4 with a solo homer. The Royals travel to Oakland to face the A's tonight.

Major League Baseball Scores:

Philadelphia 12, Atlanta 10
Colorado 11, Cincinnati 0
San Diego 3, Pittsburgh 1
Chicago Cubs 9, Florida 6
Houston 11, Milwaukee 6
Arizona 7, San Francisco 2
LA Dodgers 2, Washington 0
Minnesota 4, Cleveland 2
Seattle 5, Toronto 1
Baltimore O5, LA Angels 2
Detroit 6, Chicago White Sox 4
Oakland 6, Texas 5
Boston 9, NY Yankees 2

The St. Louis Rams signed wide receiver Donnie Avery to a four-year contract on Saturday. The second-round selection (33rd overall) from April's draft is the last of the Rams draft class to sign. Avery, who was expected to report to camp for Saturday's afternoon practice, led Conference USA and ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 112 receiving yards per game in 2007. His average of seven catches per contest also led the league and ranked 14th nationally for the University of Houston standout.

Obituaries   [TOP].