Hospital ribbon cutting set for Jan. 9

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A big outdoor tent will shelter visitors from the weather 2 p.m. Jan. 9, 2011, for ribbon cutting ceremonies at Community Hospital's new patient wing. The tent actually will be in place Jan. 6 through 11 for a range of activities associated with the opening of the new facility, which has an official move-in date of the weekend of Jan. 15-16, said Jim Ulrich, hospital president and CEO.

Author Joe Tye, who wrote "The Florence Prescription," about cultivating an attitude of "ownership" among hospital and other healthcare workers, will speak to hospital employees Jan. 10-11 as part of the observance.

Remodeling of the emergency room entrance should be completed the first week in January, Ulrich told members of the board of directors Wednesday.

There are still many details to be completed in time for January's ribbon cutting and open house, but the project is probably about 97 percent complete, Ulrich said, including carpeting, interior finishing, lighting, a connecting hallway, ceiling and other details. The final 3 percent includes items such as "low voltage" data and communications lines, and testing of the suction and gases.

After completion of the current Phase I project, Phase II will commence with removal of asbestos from the "pods" -- old patient rooms -- and demolition of that structure in preparation for construction of a healing garden, meeting rooms, a new pharmacy and gift shop, as well new surgical facilities that will include pre-and post-op rooms with more of a "surgery center" tone.

Construction on Phase II should start in April or May, and be completed in late spring or early summer 2012, Ulrich said.

In other business at Wednesday's meeting, Dr. Richard Klug and Marc Harpham were recognized for completion of their terms on the hospital's board of directors, which included important milestones such as completion of the hospital's new rehabilitation center, as well as construction of the new project.

Brian Esch was re-elected chairman, Jim O'Dea became vice-chairman, Doris Friehe remained secretary and Bruce Bair was elected treasurer.

Nesbitt & Associates conducted a security assessment of the hospital, and found the staff to be well trained and "we look forward to their assessment report of suggestions to enhance our security efforts," Ulrich said.

The board also was informed that there was a medication error rate of less than one-half of one percent, with the vast majority of these errors reaching the patient with no harm, as many of those instances involved delivering the medication later than scheduled.

"Though this error rate is very low compared to national averages we are always striving to further improve upon these results," Ulrich said.

Hospital staff is taking training to implement new tighter rules about "data breach" incidents, which is a part of expanded HIPAA regulations passed in 2009 as a part of the stimulus bill requiring notification of the public above certain thresholds.