BSMC Board Candidate Interviews

For three weeks you've been hearing about the role of the Board of Directors and the process for the upcoming election. It is finally time to meet the candidates. Each candidate offered a few minutes of their time to share their thoughts, you'll see them below. Voting will take place November 30 at the Annual Board meeting in the Big Sandy Senior Center at 5:30 pm. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, you are able to get an Absentee Ballot now at the Business Office of the Big Sandy Medical Center any time between 8 am-5 pm. To be tabulated, ballots must be returned by 4:30 pm on November 30th; there is a secured drop box just outside of the business office to place sealed ballots upon return.

Dr. Karen Baumann

Why do you want to be on the BSMC board?

To make a difference in the lives of our community members and be available to listen and understand their concerns about their medical needs.

As an older adult, I feel that we are not heard in regard to our medical care and another pill is added without really getting to the root of the issue. We want to be listened to and be connected.

I am a recently retired Registered Nurse with thirty years of experience. I actually started in the medical field right out of high school in1974 as a Nursing Assistant (which I feel is one of the most difficult jobs in the medical field). I have a Doctorate in Nursing as well as a Masters in Health Administration and a Masters in Nursing. I have worked from the bedside to computer implementation for a hospital to the ivory towers of administration.

I know the language and know what questions to ask and where to focus on issues brought before the board.

Every person in our community has a right to know what the medical center is doing for its future sustainability. BSMC has taken many strides to make our hospital stand out by acquiring a CT scanner and expanding the medical clinic. I would like to be part of this transformation.

What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?

I would like to take the information gathered to understand the current goals of the hospital and how I can be instrumental as a "medical person" as well as a community member to ensure the current and long-term goals are met.

How do you plan to understand and work with the ~60-member staff?

As an RN for as long as I have been, I have worked with hundreds of employees at many different levels. The key is honesty, communication, and understanding.

What issues do you currently see that need to be addressed at BSMC?

I think one of the major issues is making sure that our patients that are being sent out to other places get the information back to their primary providers here and have a continuity of care plan in place. That means getting the reports back, reviewing, checking in with the patient, are there follow up labs? If the patient was in the hospital are there any treatments that need to be continued?

Also a community member mentioned that it would be nice to have an ADA door getting into the Nursing home part of the facility. It is difficult to maneuver a wheelchair and try to keep the door open to get through without getting hurt.

What is your occupation?

I am a retired RN and now working at FE Miley Elementary as a Paraprofessional.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Not at this time.

Ken Denning

Why do you want to be on the BSMC Board?

"Well, I think there is a lot of place for improvement in community relations. We need to get people coming back to Big Sandy for their medical care. The more people we can get to come here, the more stable the future of the facility will be."

What do you hope to accomplish during your three year term?

"I hope we can get people chose to obtain care here again. We should be drawing people into the facility. We have a great medical center and great people, but we need to be reaching out to community members to see what we can do to bring them back to the facility. I want to strengthen the hospital's relationship with the community, that is important to me."

How do you plan to understand and work with the ~60 member staff?

"Talk to people and see if I can get some feedback that way. I went to one of the meetings a while back and it seemed that a lot of employees came to the board meeting. It would be good to get to know the leadership people that way."

What issues do you currently see that need to be addressed at BSMC?

"The new building will be a big bonus to the community, specialists will be a big boost to the hospital here. I know a number of people that have stopped receiving their care here, we need to work together to change that. The more things we can do to get people coming here instead of driving, the easier it will be to build the strength of the hospital."

What is your occupation?

Self-employed Local Contractor/Carpenter

Anything else you'd like to share?

"I think it is important to be involved in the community, get a different opinion on things. Ever since I got out of college, I worked as an architect and have been involved. Getting a different view point helps get people thinking of things they maybe haven't thought of."

Harvey Keller

Why do you want to be on the BSMC Board?

"I've been on the Board a number of years, as some people know. To me it's a way I can give back to the community, since the community has given so much to me and my family. The slogan years ago was, "Built by the community, for the community". That is how I have been trying to base my decisions on the Board; keep it locally oriented, town oriented, and community oriented."

What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?

"Number one, I would like to see the mobile clinic up and going. Number two, I'd like to see the remodel of the current clinic complete for the CT Machine. The kitchen remodel is now complete. Since we've started it all, it would be nice to finish it. And of course, keep patient care number one."

How do you plan to understand and work with the ~60 member staff?

"Well, I was always open to listen to their problems and willing to talk with them about coming up with solutions with those problems. That's what I hope to continue."

What issues do you currently see that need to be addressed at BSMC?

"My biggest fear is that eventually we lose our local governing Board and ownership. If that happens, so be it. I've talked to other hospitals that have been taken over by larger facilities, it seems to be 60% against, 40% for, but my biggest fear is that they would cut local employees."

What is your occupation?

Farming/ Ranching and Grandpa

Anything else you'd like to share?

"I started on the Board over 30 years ago, but at that time the by-laws stated you could only serve two consecutive terms. They were later revised due to a lack of interest. I have been on the Board this time since 2011. It's been an honor and privilege to serve on the Board for that many years. The Board members have always been great to work with. We've always tried to keep the hospital under local management and keep our employees without having to make too many changes. We want to offer the community and outlying area the best patient care possible, from the ER to end of life."