July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Senior psych program planned (12/16/04)
JCH to offer service
Jay County senior citizens are one step closer to getting psychological help at Jay County Hospital next year.
The hospital board voted Wednesday to begin contract negotiations with Behavioral Health Concepts of Indianapolis to establish a 10-bed Geropsych program at the hospital. The program would help people ages 55 and older.
JCH chief executive officer Joe Johnston said a large portion of the population in Jay and surrounding counties is aging, but have nowhere nearby to go for psychological care. Those who need the care would have to drive as far as Fort Wayne or Richmond to see a psychologist. Chances are, they won’t drive that far for that kind of care, Johnston said.
“I believe it’s a viable program and one we should move forward with at this hospital,” he said.
Johnston said the program needs to be open by the beginning of the fiscal year, which is Oct. 1, 2005. A federal law requires the unit to be open by then if the hospital wants to be reimbursed for caring for Medicare patients in the center, he said.
The board also voted to begin contract negotiations with TGS Architects Inc. of Indianapolis for the construction needed for the program. Johnston said an existing 2,500 square foot area in the hospital will need to be renovated and an additional 1,500 square feet will be added for the Geropsych ward. Johnston said the construction would cost about $750,000 and will probably begin next spring.
In other business, JCH infection control coordinator Gail Kuhn announced the hospital will be giving flu shots on Monday, Dec. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. They will be distributed in conference rooms A and B at the hospital.
The hospital received about 135 doses of vaccine this week. Kuhn said she did not know how many shots would be available for area residents. They will be offered to employees this week and whatever is left over will be offered to the public on Monday.
Also Wednesday, the board:
•Approved an agreement with Transworld Systems for patient account collection for 5,000 accounts at $7.50 per account; a one-year service agreement with Heartland Medical Sales & Service LLC for four anesthesia units for $4,380 per year; a one-year service agreement with Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc. for the Vitros 250 chemistry system in the laboratory for $9,000 per year; and a one-year service agreement with Radiation Services of Indiana for the general radiographic machine for $6,700 per year.
•Voted to purchase newborn hearing screening equipment from Natus Medical Inc. for $9,750 and a software package upgrade for the hospital’s air handler system from J & T Systems Inc. for $3,800.
•Voted to have Blue and Co. LLC prepare the 2004 fiscal year Medicare Cost Report for no more than $9,000; conduct the College of American Pathologists survey for 2005 for $5,088, which checks the calibration of the hospital’s machines; and have J & T Systems Inc. repair the air handler system for the hospital and surgery center for no more than $7,800.
•Thanked chief of staff Dr. Kathleen Galbraith for her 14 years of service. Dr. Jerry Whetzel was appointed as the new chief of staff last month. His term will begin on Jan. 1.
•Heard JCH chief financial officer Don Michael report the hospital had a net income of $78,758 in November.
Admissions in November totaled 77. This figure is down 13 percent from the budgeted number of 89.
•Heard auxiliary president Jane Mann report 70 hospital auxiliary volunteers worked 1,336 hours in November.
Mann said Marilyn Post was appointed as the new auxiliary president.[[In-content Ad]]
The hospital board voted Wednesday to begin contract negotiations with Behavioral Health Concepts of Indianapolis to establish a 10-bed Geropsych program at the hospital. The program would help people ages 55 and older.
JCH chief executive officer Joe Johnston said a large portion of the population in Jay and surrounding counties is aging, but have nowhere nearby to go for psychological care. Those who need the care would have to drive as far as Fort Wayne or Richmond to see a psychologist. Chances are, they won’t drive that far for that kind of care, Johnston said.
“I believe it’s a viable program and one we should move forward with at this hospital,” he said.
Johnston said the program needs to be open by the beginning of the fiscal year, which is Oct. 1, 2005. A federal law requires the unit to be open by then if the hospital wants to be reimbursed for caring for Medicare patients in the center, he said.
The board also voted to begin contract negotiations with TGS Architects Inc. of Indianapolis for the construction needed for the program. Johnston said an existing 2,500 square foot area in the hospital will need to be renovated and an additional 1,500 square feet will be added for the Geropsych ward. Johnston said the construction would cost about $750,000 and will probably begin next spring.
In other business, JCH infection control coordinator Gail Kuhn announced the hospital will be giving flu shots on Monday, Dec. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. They will be distributed in conference rooms A and B at the hospital.
The hospital received about 135 doses of vaccine this week. Kuhn said she did not know how many shots would be available for area residents. They will be offered to employees this week and whatever is left over will be offered to the public on Monday.
Also Wednesday, the board:
•Approved an agreement with Transworld Systems for patient account collection for 5,000 accounts at $7.50 per account; a one-year service agreement with Heartland Medical Sales & Service LLC for four anesthesia units for $4,380 per year; a one-year service agreement with Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc. for the Vitros 250 chemistry system in the laboratory for $9,000 per year; and a one-year service agreement with Radiation Services of Indiana for the general radiographic machine for $6,700 per year.
•Voted to purchase newborn hearing screening equipment from Natus Medical Inc. for $9,750 and a software package upgrade for the hospital’s air handler system from J & T Systems Inc. for $3,800.
•Voted to have Blue and Co. LLC prepare the 2004 fiscal year Medicare Cost Report for no more than $9,000; conduct the College of American Pathologists survey for 2005 for $5,088, which checks the calibration of the hospital’s machines; and have J & T Systems Inc. repair the air handler system for the hospital and surgery center for no more than $7,800.
•Thanked chief of staff Dr. Kathleen Galbraith for her 14 years of service. Dr. Jerry Whetzel was appointed as the new chief of staff last month. His term will begin on Jan. 1.
•Heard JCH chief financial officer Don Michael report the hospital had a net income of $78,758 in November.
Admissions in November totaled 77. This figure is down 13 percent from the budgeted number of 89.
•Heard auxiliary president Jane Mann report 70 hospital auxiliary volunteers worked 1,336 hours in November.
Mann said Marilyn Post was appointed as the new auxiliary president.[[In-content Ad]]
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