July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Plan put to test (10/28/04)
Multiple injuries in crash sets plan in motion
Jay County Hospital Board members were told Wednesday that the hospital realized the strengths and weaknesses of its external disaster plan when it had to be implemented a few weeks ago.
Nurse manager of the JCH Intensive Care Unit Jan Lowe said eight people were injured and brought to the hospital following a two-vehicle accident on Oct. 2. Two had to be airlifted from the hospital. Matthew A. Weesner, 20, was killed in the Mt. Pleasant Road accident.
Each of the three steps of the plan were taken. First, four extra physicians were called to the hospital. Then, four to six nurses were brought in to assist. Finally, the hospital had to establish where the patients would be taken once they arrived at the hospital.
“(The doctors and nurses) all responded within a matter of minutes,” she said.
Lowe said Jay Emergency Medical Service contacted JCH from the accident scene and told hospital personnel how many were injured before the patients were transported there.
On Oct. 4, those who came to the hospital to help and those who didn’t met to discuss how the plan was executed.
Lowe said the group decided the hospital needed to work on communication. She suggested the hospital consider purchasing new and better radios with some of the $39,000 in bioterrorism grant money it received from the state. This equipment would help with the communication problem, she said.
Also, the hospital needs a better location for family members to wait while their relatives are being cared for in the emergency rooms.
“That’s a very tight area down there ... It’s a little congested,” said JCH chief executive officer Joe Johnston. He added that several people were blocking the entrance to the emergency room, and the waiting area was overflowing with people.
In other business, the board authorized Johnston to sign a contract with MSKTD & Associates Inc. of Fort Wayne to do design and engineering work for several facility improvements for $20,300.
Johnston said the physician entrance, pharmacy and second floor of the hospital need to be remodeled. Also, a study needs to be done on the second floor of the medical office building to determine if it is structurally sound.
He would like the physician entrance to somehow be made more quiet, so doctors can have some quiet time when they first come in for their shifts. The pharmacy also area is very crowded, and he would like it to be expanded. The areas near the patient rooms upstairs are very starch and sterile. Johnston wants them to remind patients of home and have pictures, new carpet and other amenities. He said this would make the patients feel more comfortable during their stays at the hospital.
The office building is located southeast of the hospital, and the first floor is currently occupied by Drs. Marvin McBride Jr., Kathleen Galbraith and Mark Haggenjos. The second level is being used for storage, but Johnston would like to eventually move some of the hospital’s employees into the building.
Also Monday, the board:
•Approved a Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization agreement through Coordinated Care Corporation. This will allow the hospital to treat patients whose medical expenses are paid through the HMO.
•Voted to establish a line of credit with MainSource Bank of Portland for $200,000. Indiana now requires any self-funded health insurance plan to post the bond. This lets the hospital’s insurance company know the money is available, if needed.
•Voted to extend a contract with Tri-County Surgical, which is owned by Dr. Herman Burgermeister, for $3,000 per month. The current contract for surgical services ended on Sept. 30, Johnston said. The two-year agreement will run from Oct. 1 of this year to Sept. 30, 2006.
•Voted to purchase a mini-fragment set from Zimmer for $7,031 and a harmonic scalpel from Ethicon Inc. for $19,984.
•Heard the fall health fair will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, from 7 to 11 a.m. at Jay County High School. Blood testing, bone density screening and massages will be available.
•Heard director of volunteer services Betty Krieg report the annual Celebration of Lights at the hospital will be held Wednesday, Nov. 10. The lights will be displayed in different areas outside of the building this year. Also, they will be professionally hung instead of having volunteers do the decorating.
•Heard JCH chief financial officer Don Michael report the hospital had a net income of $403,962 in September, which is up 206.6 percent from the budgeted figure of $131,734. Michael said the number is high because the hospital was given a $528,000 reimbursement through Medicaid for patients who are uninsured.
Admissions in September totaled 91. This figure is down 9 percent from the budgeted number of 100.
•Heard JCH Auxiliary president Jane Mann report 80 hospital auxiliary volunteers worked 1,242 hours in September.[[In-content Ad]]
Nurse manager of the JCH Intensive Care Unit Jan Lowe said eight people were injured and brought to the hospital following a two-vehicle accident on Oct. 2. Two had to be airlifted from the hospital. Matthew A. Weesner, 20, was killed in the Mt. Pleasant Road accident.
Each of the three steps of the plan were taken. First, four extra physicians were called to the hospital. Then, four to six nurses were brought in to assist. Finally, the hospital had to establish where the patients would be taken once they arrived at the hospital.
“(The doctors and nurses) all responded within a matter of minutes,” she said.
Lowe said Jay Emergency Medical Service contacted JCH from the accident scene and told hospital personnel how many were injured before the patients were transported there.
On Oct. 4, those who came to the hospital to help and those who didn’t met to discuss how the plan was executed.
Lowe said the group decided the hospital needed to work on communication. She suggested the hospital consider purchasing new and better radios with some of the $39,000 in bioterrorism grant money it received from the state. This equipment would help with the communication problem, she said.
Also, the hospital needs a better location for family members to wait while their relatives are being cared for in the emergency rooms.
“That’s a very tight area down there ... It’s a little congested,” said JCH chief executive officer Joe Johnston. He added that several people were blocking the entrance to the emergency room, and the waiting area was overflowing with people.
In other business, the board authorized Johnston to sign a contract with MSKTD & Associates Inc. of Fort Wayne to do design and engineering work for several facility improvements for $20,300.
Johnston said the physician entrance, pharmacy and second floor of the hospital need to be remodeled. Also, a study needs to be done on the second floor of the medical office building to determine if it is structurally sound.
He would like the physician entrance to somehow be made more quiet, so doctors can have some quiet time when they first come in for their shifts. The pharmacy also area is very crowded, and he would like it to be expanded. The areas near the patient rooms upstairs are very starch and sterile. Johnston wants them to remind patients of home and have pictures, new carpet and other amenities. He said this would make the patients feel more comfortable during their stays at the hospital.
The office building is located southeast of the hospital, and the first floor is currently occupied by Drs. Marvin McBride Jr., Kathleen Galbraith and Mark Haggenjos. The second level is being used for storage, but Johnston would like to eventually move some of the hospital’s employees into the building.
Also Monday, the board:
•Approved a Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization agreement through Coordinated Care Corporation. This will allow the hospital to treat patients whose medical expenses are paid through the HMO.
•Voted to establish a line of credit with MainSource Bank of Portland for $200,000. Indiana now requires any self-funded health insurance plan to post the bond. This lets the hospital’s insurance company know the money is available, if needed.
•Voted to extend a contract with Tri-County Surgical, which is owned by Dr. Herman Burgermeister, for $3,000 per month. The current contract for surgical services ended on Sept. 30, Johnston said. The two-year agreement will run from Oct. 1 of this year to Sept. 30, 2006.
•Voted to purchase a mini-fragment set from Zimmer for $7,031 and a harmonic scalpel from Ethicon Inc. for $19,984.
•Heard the fall health fair will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, from 7 to 11 a.m. at Jay County High School. Blood testing, bone density screening and massages will be available.
•Heard director of volunteer services Betty Krieg report the annual Celebration of Lights at the hospital will be held Wednesday, Nov. 10. The lights will be displayed in different areas outside of the building this year. Also, they will be professionally hung instead of having volunteers do the decorating.
•Heard JCH chief financial officer Don Michael report the hospital had a net income of $403,962 in September, which is up 206.6 percent from the budgeted figure of $131,734. Michael said the number is high because the hospital was given a $528,000 reimbursement through Medicaid for patients who are uninsured.
Admissions in September totaled 91. This figure is down 9 percent from the budgeted number of 100.
•Heard JCH Auxiliary president Jane Mann report 80 hospital auxiliary volunteers worked 1,242 hours in September.[[In-content Ad]]
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