Air-Evac Lifestream, the only medical emergency helicopter that has performed roadside pick-ups in Drew County, which they have done twice, is now offering memberships to individuals and groups.

As a part of that program, Air-Evac landed a rescue helicopter on the yard of the Courthouse, Thursday, to be seen by local officials, and members of the public.

Katrina Hammock was announcmed as the Health Hero of the month.  Katrina is our Medical Staff Coordinator. Katrina was selected as health hero for going over and beyond the call of duty seeking no personal gain for helping numerous families each of the last three years by organizing our Thanksgiving Food Drive and Christmas Toy Drive. This year alone over eight families were impacted by these drives and would not have been as fortunate this year without her efforts. Katrina also volunteers her time and participates on DMH’s annual Relay for Life team and fundraisers and well as always participating in most employee events and outings. 

For December, the hospital had a gain of $165,611 and YTD a gain of $1,958,027, compared to $158,600 and $1,277,628 YTD last year. 192 acute admissions for the month compared to 187 last year. YTD inpatient surgery is 360 compared to 334 last year. Outpatient surgery YTD is 1,089 compared to 985 last year.

In December Home Health had a gain of $68,067 and Personal Care had a gain of $4,383 or a combined gain of $72,450. YTD Home Health and Personal Care had a combined gain of $72,450. YTD shows a combined gain of $504,445.

Wade Smith reported IOP only has one full-time therapist.  The second therapist is on leave. A new therapist that will begin January 30th. 

Home Health is receiving Additional Development Request from Palmetto GBA. This is Home Health’s intermediary for Medicare. Every final claim hitting in 2012 FY is being audited before they pay. Currently Home Health is only operating on Medicaid, private pay, and RAP money. Currently Medicare have super committees looking at where most of the Medicare money is going and Home Health is their target to reduce payments .

The modernization program continues on target with the new patient wing scheduled to open in mid-March and the Allied Health Building scheduled to open mid-April.

When the inpatients are moved off the current med surgical unit to the new patient wing, all remaining furnishing/furniture and equipment can be sold. Ricky Tucker and Blake Rogers will contact a used bed company and get a bid to sell the beds, end tables, and over bed tables. They will also, auction or a request for bids to come in and purchase any items that will remain on the unit such as beds, toilets, sinks, pictures, cabinetry, etc.

The assisted living project is moving according to schedule. Funding for the project should be secured by the public facility board within the next few months. The Quorum Court approved the land for the facility at the January QC meeting.

The hospital will temporarily cease its plans to move to a level III Trauma designation, with the change of status from two surgeons to one. It will retain its level 4 trauma status until a second surgeon is recruited. In the meantime the hospital has purchases approximately $60,000 in trauma related equipment to allow us to provide and improve trauma and quality service to patients in the Emergency Room.

Tia Reed has accepted to be the new Director of Education of Drew Memorial Hospital. She will be joining our team on February 13th. She will be coming from her current position in education at the Drew Health Department.

The hospital is conducting a search for a second General Surgeon to join Dr. Sid Collins.

The hospital will resurface the tile on the front entrance of the hospital. The new tile will have sandpaper like finish which should prevent slips and falls.

The hospital is currently developing a plan to build out the unfinished space in the Allied Health Building. There is approximately 4,000sqft that can be developed as office space. A line drawing was reviewed, and administration will contract to have a cost estimate of the plan. The board and hospital goal is to own not rent and currently pay $5,500 an month for rent at Drew Professional office building. This plan will include space for 3 physicians and the wound care program.

The Southeast Arkansas Health Foundation will hold its Semi-Annual Drawdown/Casino Night on February 18th at 6:30 pm at the Monticello Country Club.

The Charity Care Policy for Drew Memorial Hospital was reviewed and approved.

The next board meeting will be held February 22, 2012.

Phase one of the overall project will include a new 42 bed inpatient wing . The 26,041 square foot unit will include large well furnished, spacious inpatient rooms. The unit will feature an atrium garden area for inpatients to relax and socialize with friends and family in a tranquil environment. Also included in the initial phase will be a 25,968 square foot Allied Health Building. This will include a Cancer Care Center providing infusion treatment and chemotherapy, Sleep Disorder Center, state of the art Rehabilitation Center ( including speech therapy, occupational medicine and physical therapy), an Intensive Outpatient Psychiatric Treatment Center and a large Conference Center with leading edge technology, providing for hospital and community education . In addition a new $30 thousand dollar helicopter landing pad is included in the project. Scheduled completion of these projects are projected for March 2012.

Phase two planning and development is now under way for an all new 8.5 Million dollar Surgery Center, construction anticipated to begin in 2013. Also a 6.2 million dollar, 42 bed Assisted Living Facility planned ground breaking in late 2012. 

These projects will serve to improve the overall health/ wellness and economic growth of Drew county and SE Arkansas for decades to come.

On an side note, DMH auxiliary member of the year Monteene McCoy was also named the MEDC / Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year.

Please be advised that effective January 3, 2012, Dr. John Tedesco will be closing his medical practice at Drew Professional Services, 750 H L Ross Drive, Monticello, Arkansas.

His medical records will be available at that address upon written request. However, if you wish to leave your medical records at Drew Professional Services, they will be happy to maintain them for you. If you have questions, please feel free to call (870) 367-3922.

Tyrone was selected from eleven other monthly Health Hero’s honored throughout the year at the DMH board meetings. Tyrone was caught in the act of going above and beyond the call of duty by providing basic personal hygiene items to our patients to assist them in their transition back home. Tyrone is always smiling and having a good time while assisting our patients.

Tyrone has been named numerous times by our patients for providing excellent customer service with a tremendous positive attitude.

Each month, the Health Hero is awarded $100 and a plaque. In addition to Tyrone, each of our monthly Health Hero’s should also be recognized for their contributions “going over and beyond the call of duty” and “providing a service with no thought of personal gain”.

Let Tyrone Smith’s example be your inspiration and remember “that in every person. A hero is waiting to be unleashed”. The main goal at Drew Memorial Hospital is customer service excellence! So, “serve, serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve with a positive attitude”! We have big dreams at Drew Memorial Hospital, dreams of being the leader in quality healthcare services and excellence in customer satisfaction.

I leave you with this thought, “you are the change that you dream, I am the change that I dream, and as “a team” we are the change that our community needs, improving the health and wellbeing of our community, improving lives of everyone that we come in contact with, each and every day……as you are all hero’s”!

Have a great week and don’t forget to buckle up.

Drew Memorial Hospital’s Allied Health Project, is still on schedule to be open for use in March, and will house several new and existing services for our local hospital.

Arkansas Business, the state’s leading business magazine, lists DMH current renovation as the state’s 38th largest building project that is underway.

2 other local projects also made their list.

UAM forestry annex came in a #77, and the recently completed Ridgeway Apt. renovation earned the magazine’s #91 Ranking.

For October the hospital had a gain of $16,564 and YTD $375,074 compared to $125,724 and $1,085,040 YTD last year. We had 166 acute admissions for the month compared to 188 last year. Outpatient surgery is 860 compared to 777 last year or an increase of 11% from last year. 

They continue to be on target to open the two new buildings between February and March 2012.

Taylor provided the board with a detailed layout of the plans for the new surgery center and a cost estimate of approximately $8 million.

The new pre post/op area is almost complete and should be opened during the month of December or early January.

DMH has been informed that Delta Counseling will not provide onsite services for paying patients, but will provide consultations.  Dayspring will take care of all paying patients in regards to consultations and onsite visits.

Trauma 3 certification continues to proceed toward completion.

Karen Brown, Administrator of the Drew County Health Unit, expresses their appreciation to the nursing students from UAM-Monticello and UAM College of Technology – McGehee and Crossett, along with nurse volunteers from the community and UAM nurse.  Volunteers also helped with paperwork and data entry from DHS, The Woods, CIS Department @ UAM, as well as fraternity members from UAM and volunteers from the community.