Child care desert: new buzzword fits local situation

    Child care desert is the new buzzword which fits with the strategies for foundations with available grant funds. "The child care initiative takes significant strides," said MMH CEO Trampas Hutches at the East Phillips County Hospital District Board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 22.
    Nine CU students who created the design builds for the City of Holyoke were invited to meet with the Holyoke Child Care Center Initiative to tour available land options. They were impressed by the available choices, Hutches reported.
    The students assisted the town of Hugo when they were working on building a child care center. They provide a report, feasibility study and footprint plan designs. “The students have the experience, knowledge and resources to complete a study for the initiative,” said Hutches. At its next meeting, HCCCI will make a decision about whether or not to move forward with the students’ assistance.
    “USDA is the gold standard by which to gauge grant applications,” said Hutches. Since HCCCI was granted USDA funds through the Buell grant in May, it should be no problem to secure building funding. Nonetheless, the grant process is lengthy, he added.
    
Medicaid reimbursements continue to be an issue
    Although Melissa Memorial Hospital Medicaid accounts receivable is down 31 percent since the end of July, the state is still far behind on reimbursements to hospitals and providers.
    Hutches reported at last week’s meeting that the Colorado Hospital Association sued the state over one issue that MMH has been able to resolve, which is failure of the new system to process claims. Hutches said legal action brings focus to the ongoing problem.
    Medicaid no longer pays for certain things. For example, they will cover the procedure for a knee replacement but not the implant because they see it as an elective procedure. This creates policy implications for the hospital.
     CFO Wes White said MMH received notification from Medicaid that MMH’s cost report has been approved, the payment amount has been accepted and funds will be disbursed to MMH within the next couple of months.
    White reviewed the July balance sheet, reporting current assets were $8,238,136 and current liabilities were $2,364,315 for a current ratio of 3.48:1, compared to the board policy of 2:1. The net loss for the month was $120,820, compared to a budgeted net loss of $6,193. Revenue deductions in July included a $50,000 accrual for the one liability for overpayment by Medicaid caused by the delayed implementation of the new Medicaid payment system.

CEO shares status updates with board
   Board members learned from Hutches that MMH is in the running for a $300,000 grant that will provide funds for cultural development, leadership training, financial training, implementing new financial reporting methodologies and process improvement tactics. Grant awards should be announced by November.
    MMH is partnering with the Colorado Workforce Development to provide internship opportunities at the hospital. In addition, teachers and counselors are encouraged to visit the hospital to better understand all the diverse areas in the hospital which create career pathways.
    Hutches added that a recent survey reflected 80 percent of kids would come back to their rural communities if they knew they had an available career path.
    MMH has been working closely with Sterling to keep in contact, making sure patients return to Holyoke for swing bed care. This is viewed as good business from an internal standpoint.
    Staff will participate in super user and end user training for the new computer system. They will complete test patient training and plan to go live with the new system Sept. 19, noted Hutches.
    MMH is up to date on all employee evaluations and merit increases. The hospital utilizes the Mountain States Employment Counsel’s salary survey as a reference to stay within the 50th percentile in starting salary.
    
MMHF reports
    MMH Foundation board representative Steve Young reported on the recent board meeting attended by John Chapdelaine of the Northeast Colorado Foundation to discuss foundation funds.
    It was determined that the money raised by MMHF belongs to that foundation, and it is that board’s decision on how the money is invested until the hospital requests it. The foundation has raised $100,000 for the hospital’s Grow Our Own Physician program. All accrued interest will be for MMHF to keep.
    
Other business
    In other business at the Aug. 22 meeting, the board:
    —Noted MMH is moving forward on physician recruitment, with three candidates to be interviewed next month.
    —Approved two reappointments, including Byron Spencer, M.D., in teleneurology and Maurice Lyons, D.O., in PadNet interpretation; one provisional end/regular appointment, Ray Bogitch, M.D., in teleneurology; and two resignations, including Carol Landgdoc, M.D., in ENT and Gary Metcalf, M.D., in family medicine.
    —Heard from FCCLA members Dominique Penzing, Anna Jelden and Makenzie Martin, who invited the hospital to contact them with ideas for service projects or ways they can be involved in the community.