The Nemaha County Commissioners on Wednesday, Dec. 28, ratified the purchase of equipment for the pharmacy department at Nemaha County Hospital.
The purchase of a GermFree sterile product positive pressure compounding isolator was recommended by the hospital board. Cost of the three-foot isolator was $18,061.06. Also considered was a NuAire four-foot model at $13,035.
Kermit Moore, chief operating officer at Nemaha County Hospital, said that the pharmacy department staff recommended the GermFree unit because it had a 48-month warranty vs. the 36-month warranty of the NuAire unit. The three-foot unit was also the perfect size for the clean room being created. That will save money in the long run, Moore said. Both units cost significantly less than the $40,000 allowed in the budget for such a unit, he said.
In 2008, officials of the Food and Drug Administration and the State Board of Pharmacy approved new regulations to protect patients from harm associated with contaminated or improperly prepared compounded sterile preparations. Moore said that the hospital officials decided that it was time to comply with the regulations as part of the remodeling of the facility. Officials of many larger facilities complied earlier, he said.
Compounding medications gives them a longer shelf life. The unit can be used in multiple applications, Moore said.
Review Annual, Quarterly Report
Moore also reviewed the annual report which was inserted in a recent issue of the Nemaha County Herald.
The quarterly report was also reviewed.
Stacy Taylor, chief financial officer, reported that admissions, total days of care and Home Health therapy visits increased during November. Other areas showed decreases, including observation volumes, Medicare and Medicaid inpatient ratios, ancillary service volumes for inpatients and outpatients, surgery volumes and Home Care skilled visits. November was a slow outpatient month, Taylor said.
During the first seven months of the hospital’s fiscal year, there were 147 patients admitted compared to 120 patients in the similar period of the last fiscal year. Nemaha County Hospital’s fiscal year runs from May-April.
Average daily census was 4.03 during the current fiscal year compared to 2.90 for the previous fiscal year. Percentage of Medicare days was 81.8 percent during the current fiscal year, compared to 79.8 percent for the previous fiscal year. There were 11,309 outpatients for the first seven months of the current fiscal year, compared to 10,918 outpatients for the comparable period of the previous fiscal year.
Net income for fiscal 2012, May-November, was $576,905. Moore said that the hospital is in good shape financially.
The commissioners complimented the new north entrance of the hospital. Because both doors open simultaneously, cold air is blown in. Moore said that hospital staff researched the issue and are working on installing an air curtain to blow down hot air, similar to what is in place at Sunmart.
Moore said that the staff situation is good. He said that nurses, X-ray technicians and lab people have asked about jobs.
“We’re healthy with our staff. It’s a good place to be. It’s a lot better than needing people and can’t find them. It’s a testament to the leadership we have at Nemaha County Hospital,” Moore concluded.
Sheriff Authorized to Advertise Surplus Vehicles; Other Action
Sheriff Brent Lottman was authorized to advertise selling two surplus vehicle after the new vehicle arrived.
Lueders Petroleum was awarded the January fuel bid: $3.636 for No. 1 Diesel; $3.346 for No. 2 Diesel and $3.035 for regular unleaded. No bid was received from Farmers Coop. The commissioners discussed the need to set a deadline for receiving bids and abiding by it. That would eliminate questions later.
Section 504-Rehabilitation Act 1973 was approved in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
Resolutions were approved regarding depositories and securities with Auburn State Bank, Farmers Bank of Cook, Carson National Bank and First National Bank of Johnson.
Another resolution was approved to subdivide a 2.15 acre tract of land for Mayfield Family Trust. The tract is in Nemaha Precinct southeast of Nemaha.
Other Items
A traffic sign retroreflectivity maintenance program was discussed but not approved. The commissioners discussed researching the issue further, including sign replacement as needed.
The amount of rock hauled through November was in compliance with the budget.
The board discussed a responsible charge for Nemaha County regarding federal aid projects. Joyce Oakley, county clerk, resigned as responsible charge because she was not elected to perform such duties. The responsible charge person needs to be a county employee. The responsible charge position involves a lot of legwork and paperwork. The individual needs daily computer access and to attend various meetings where information is presented to keep county officials in compliance with federal regulations, including ADA. In many counties, the highway superintendent performs such duties.