Hospital CEO says storms brought out peoples' best

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Winter weather frustrates so many, but it brings out the best in many others. Jim Ulrich, president and CEO of Community Hospital of McCook, told his board of directors at their meeting this morning about incidents during the past couple weeks that made him proud of hospital staff and thankful for the help from the community.

Ulrich said that during an emergency transfer recently, when the roads were practically impassable because of ice and snow, a Nebraska Department of Roads employee drove a road grader to plow the highway in front of the ambulance to transfer a patient to the North Platte hospital.

Also during snow and ice storms, Ulrich said, hospital personnel worked extra shifts and some remained in town to make themselves available for work. Maintenance personnel, he said, did a terrific job making the hospital campus and parking areas safe, working around cars stuck in deep snow and snow drifts.

Because of that dedication, Ulrich said, the hospital was able to provide medical care "24-7, regardless of the weather."

Ulrich said he appreciated the spirit of team work, not only among hospital personnel, but also within the community.

Diane Sandall, R.N., was introduced to board members as the director of the hospital's home health and hospice. Ulrich said Sandall and the department are stretching to serve Southwest Nebraska and into Kansas and Colorado to meet the growing needs of home health.

Terry Shipshock, executive director of the Hospital Health Foundation, reported that the annual fund drive has raised more than $70,000 to date, including a new $50,000 scholarship endowment in the name of Joe and Alice Edwards. The capital campaign has raised $1,650,000 of its $2 million goal.

Ted Long, director of maintenance, told board members that the new physical therapy / occupational therapy addition is 85 percent complete and is on track for completion the first part of March. The hospital plans a grand opening celebration in April, Ulrich said.

In the quarterly report, board members were told that "core measures" of medical care have shown some impressive improvements recently, which, he explained, means that the hospital continues to increase the quality of health care it provides.

Ulrich reported that the creation of a new nursing position -- designed to focus on infection control and employee health -- will allow the hospital's resource utilization review nurse to spend more time on core measures.

Ulrich said that review of patient satisfaction surveys also helps the hospital continue its efforts at improvement. "We take the results of these surveys very seriously," he said.

In other action, board members discussed:

* The recruitment of a new pharmacist who will start in the spring, and continuing efforts to recruit another.

* The hospital's continuing effort to go "tobacco free" starting Feb. 1.

* A conference Nov. 22 during which the hospital hosted financial, tax and investment professionals to increase awareness of estate planning to benefit the Hospital Foundation, Mc-Cook College Foundation and McCook Community Foun-dation.

* Scholarship activities, including $10,000 in scholarships awarded to five individuals.

* High school "Career Discovery Days" scheduled March 21 and 22, and the John Mullen Pro Am, which will be June 1, 2, and 3.

* The Nebraska Hospital Association Advocacy Day with state senators, scheduled March 21, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln.

* Retreats for medical staff, board members and hospital leaders hosted by the Estes Park Institute Program in April in LaQuinta, Calif., in May and November in San Diego and in December in Naples, Fla.

* The approval and reappointment of consulting medical staff privileges.

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