December 6th brought the Big Sandy Medical Center Board of Directors together for the Board Meeting, as well as the regular Board Meeting for the month. The current Board of Directors includes Harvey Keller, Bob Nelson, Nicole Allderdice, Ann Quinn, and Anna Bold. Ann and Anna were both re-elected and will serve another 2-year term on the Board. We appreciate their time, effort, and energy in all they do to support our facility. All our meetings are also attended by the management consultants from Cypress Healthcare, Tony Pfaff and Rob Brandt. The meeting began with an official welcome for Ron Wiens, who accepted the position as our permanent CEO on October 1, 2022. He initially came on this summer as interim CEO and was invited to stay. An update on the upcoming projects was presented. The generator pad is ready and waiting for the new generator to be delivered. Between Montana winter roads and a shortage of drivers, it has proven difficult to get it here. The kitchen remodel plans have been finalized. After the permits are approved, the work will begin! The next big project in the works is the addition of a new clinic building. This is a modular building and when it does finally arrive, it will make its journey on five separate semi-trucks. Like the generator, the delivery date continues to be postponed. When the building is completed, it will include 11 patient rooms and offices for the providers. Krystyl Kulbeck, PA is now Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management. Thanks to her efforts and monies received from the Lippard-Clawiter Foundation we will begin a Diabetic Education Program at little to no cost to the patient. The goal is to also start a pain management clinic and potentially have podiatry care and other specialties offered as well. After clinic services are moved into the new building, the remodel of our current building will begin. Room will be made for the CT machine, lab will be moved, an improved waiting room will be created, and changes will be made to the ER to allow for more privacy and easier workflow. The goal is to have this all rolling by Spring of 2023.
The audited financial statements were reviewed, showing the facility was “in the black” the last two fiscal years. A welcome report after the challenges faced in years past. The Medical Guild report was provided. They had a successful Rummage Sale and for the first time in the Rummage Sale history, raised over $10,000. They have agreed to support the kitchen remodel with those funds as well as a grant from the Lippard-Clawiter Foundation, totaling over $20,000. The DON, Ashley, offered her report, stating there are currently 14 people staying at BSMC, with potentially four more coming in the next month. Maintaining a higher census is a challenge as many people want to recover or live in the communities they call home. BSMC can support 25 people at full capacity.
The Board by-laws were reviewed by the by-laws committee, Danielle Weaver, Dusty Allderdice, and Nicole Allderdice. After discussion, it was agreed that a lawyer would be hired to review and make necessary changes to the current by-laws. The Cypress team made recommendations for someone to hire; the committee will return with updates at a future meeting.
Harvey Keller, Chairman, mentioned multiple times how wonderful it is to see so much attendance at the board meeting. About 14 people were present, mostly employees, but some community members as well. Board meetings are always open to the public and are usually on the third Thursday of every month (barring holidays) at the medical center. Ron, the CEO, mentioned the Pioneer Spirit that is so abundant in our community. To have Pioneer Spirit is to have a willingness to endure hardship in order to explore new things. This facility was built by a community that was certainly willing to do just that, and it has proved to be a successful endeavor. The facility continues to be maintained and supported by the community and the hope is to keep it that way. With the changing healthcare environment, the only way to remain independent is with continued community support and involvement. If our community stops supporting us, we can very easily become owned by Benefis, Logan Health or the like and no longer be an independent facility. We currently see support by way of the volunteers in the Medical Guild, the Medical Foundation, our board members, and of course you choosing to seek care here at BSMC. With these substantial changes coming to our facility, involvement is even more crucial.
You are invited to the next Board meeting, January 19, at 5:30 pm at the Big Sandy Medical Center. Everyone is welcome. Remember, it is you, the people that are the heart of BSMC.
