Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 29, 2017
HEALTH DISTRICT
-Continued from PAGE ONE ry, Heppner, echoed that and home health and hos- ber Aaron Palmquist, Ir-
and providing space for
those services if they want-
ed to care for their patients,
stay competitive and sur-
vive in the medical field.
“To add new services,
we need space,” said Ma-
honey, who suggested the
advisability of a feasibility
study, adding that a feasibil-
ity study would be required
if the district applies for a
USDA loan.
Parker said that the
rebuild or remodel of Pio-
neer Memorial Hospital
would be hard to justify,
considering the “declining
population” in south Mor-
row County, adding, “I just
can’t see what the overall
value would be.”
The board had received
a bid for a feasibility study
from WIPFLI, certified
public accounts and con-
sultants, which was in the
neighborhood of $50,000-
$60,000, discounted from
$70,000. The scope of work
would include developing
a plan of finance and com-
pleting a USDA application,
providing assistance secur-
ing construction financing
“with guidance as needed”
and “providing ongoing
support for ensuring that
financing is completed and
documentation is correct.”
Houser and Mahoney said
that they were confident in
completing a USDA appli-
cation if that is the option
they select.
The board did not make
a decision concerning the
hospital options, continuing
discussion on the possibil-
ity of having a feasibility
study done, but agreed to
proceed with the remod-
el of the Irrigon Clinic,
which could be as high as
$500,00-$900,000.
“50,000-60,000 for a
feasibility study sounds in-
credibly expensive to me,”
said Parker. “I don’t need a
feasibility study to tell me
that’s (remodeling the Ir-
rigon Clinic) a good idea.”
Board member Joe Per-
sentiment.
The district has already
received $150,000 from the
Columbia River Enterprise
Zone toward funding the Ir-
rigon Clinic remodel. CEO
Bob Houser said that he
had met with a grant writer
and indicated that there are
around $400,000 in grants
toward that end that the dis-
trict could apply for. They
also mentioned the pos-
sibility of seeking funding
from the Howard and Beth
Bryant Foundation.
Perry asked other board
members if they had re-
ceived any feedback on re-
building or remodeling the
hospital. When no one else
said they had, he remarked,
“Well I have,” saying that
some people had emphati-
cally told him that they
would not support a $17
million tax levy.
“There are a whole lot
of options, rather than pass-
ing a bond,” commented
Houser. Other options to
help fund a hospital rebuild
or remodel could include
obtaining a USDA loan or
a bank loan.
Regarding statistics,
Pioneer Memorial Hospital,
a Critical Access Hospi-
tal, generated $599,941 in
hospital inpatient revenue,
inpatient ancillary revenue
and outpatient revenue,
combined, in February,
and $4,719,719 over the
past year. Home health
and hospice, located at
PMH, brought in another
$30,543 the past month and
$239,651 the past year.
The district received an
additional $168,350 from
tax revenue the past month
and $1,268,249 over the
past year.
The three clinics, Pio-
neer Memorial Clinic in
Heppner, Irrigon Clinic and
Ione Community Clinic,
brought in $146,937 in
February and $1,260,628
over the past year.
Operating expenses
for the hospital, clinics
pice for the past month
included $445,072 in sala-
ries and wages; $146,578
in employee benefits and
taxes; $29,423 in profes-
sional fees, $76,755 in sup-
plies and minor equipment;
$1,626 in education; $5,426
in repairs and maintenance;
$843 for recruitment and
advertising; $62,967 in pur-
chased services; $47,728 in
depreciation; $12,863 for
utilities, phone and pro-
pane; $8,539 for insurance;
$333 for taxes and licenses;
$6,147 in interest; $1,003
for dues and subscriptions;
$7,214 for travel; and
$7,434 in other expenses.
Over the past year, the dis-
trict showed $7,224,389 in
operating expenses.
“The hospital has a lot
higher expenses than the
clinics,” countered Parker.
The district employs 94
full and part-time people,
mostly in south Morrow
County, including 10 em-
ployees at Pioneer Me-
morial Clinic, four at the
Irrigon Medical Clinic and
one at the Ione Community
Clinic, not including the
providers, such as doctors,
physician’s assistants and
nurse practitioners, some
of whom work both at the
clinics and the hospital.
The PMC employee count
includes a medical assistant
who works both at PMC
and ICC. The employee
count does not include
Emergency Medical Ser-
vices volunteers.
Also at the meeting,
the board:
-discussed the possi-
bility of meeting with Co-
lumbia River Community
Health Services in Board-
man, to inquire if there is
anything MCHD can do to
complement the services
CRCHS offers. CRCHS is
a federally-funded clinic
serving the migrant popula-
tion, but is also open to the
general public.
“How can we help each
other?” asked board mem-
Friends Helping Friends would like to acknowledge and
thank the 2017 Remembrance
Walk/Run Commit tee, Donors
and Participants for
participation & contributions.
PROCEEDS WENT TO ASHER SCHONBACHLER & HIS
FAMILY, ASHER HAS LEUKODYSTROPHY, A RARE
WHITE MATTER DISEASE OF THE BRAIN
FUNDS WERE DONATED IN MEMORY
OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:
Donna Schonbachler
Delmer Buschke
Joe & Maryette Wright
Joan Grey
Vince & Donna Alleman
Jim & Louise Farley
Tad Miller
Margaret Bergevin
Alisa Louise Halvorsen
Bob Kilkenny
Luke Bibby
Lynn Bibby
Larry Crawford
Dwain & Anne Crawford
Christina Givens
Sandra Goodell
Jim & Madge Thomson
Berniece Thomson
Marsha Sweek
Jay Sumner
Alice Peterson Ployhar
Wade Padberg
Luke Padberg
Karen Dubuque
Dick Devin
Sammie Jo Edwards
Matthew Paul Edwards
Devin Kennedy
Brok David Palmer
Shad Anthony Hisler
Janice Healy Davis
Bill Healy
David Matheny
Orval Matheny
Theresa Betz
Rob Nichols
Frank Brown
Pam Haugen Fishman
Clarence & Rita Greenup
Mark Greenup
Eilene Ball Steiger
Kevin Bristow
Linda Bristow Haguewoood
Kristi Haguewood Huber
Mike Currin
Dennis Crowley
Jean Lazinka Barbouletos
Val Boyer
Rita Sumner
Bob Jepsen
Jean Ann Turner
Ken Turner
Jim Sumner
Paul & Kathleen Hisler
Forrie & Gail Burkenbine
Allen Burkenbine
Eddie & Jerry Brosnan
John Britt
Royal Raymond
Charlie & Yvonne Daly
John Gochnauer
Judy Gochnauer
Kenneth Gochnauer
Ellen Kennedy
Ede Maley
Al & MaryEllen Wainwright
John & Millie Hanna
John & LuLu Hanna
Wayne Barber
Don Bennett family
Don & Billie Matthews
Don & Margaret Evans
JoAnn Corwin
Cooper Larson
Julieann Larson
Bob & Mary Lou Kelly
Ray & Coramae Fegurso
Peggy Meyer
George & Pat Gutierrez
Bill Hensel
Frank & Margaret Monahan
Bob Monahan
Clay Edgmon
Jim Prock
Mike Prock
Jon Prock
Joanie Ployhar
Bev Gunderson
Del LaRue
Fritz & Janice Cutsforth
Barbara Prock Hale
Cason Peterson/Terjeson
Rick Boyce
Frank Mader
Winston Mader
Norm Wilson
Don & Colleen Greenup
Bud & Kay Walton
Maria Gregg
Justin Herald
Paul & Betty Brown
Marlene Peterson
Jane McRoberts
Casey Riddle
Amy Rottari
Juan Tellechea
Darcy Hollomon Coil
Jerry Hollomon
Frank Cecil
Michele Miles Riehl
Darlene Wise Arrington
Blanche Wise Jones
Paul W. Jones
Clarence "Cody" Wise
Arnie G. Hedman
Mike Hedman
Leo DeZoete
Linda Starks Ripple
Jo Burt
Bonna Rae Miller
Pat Anderson
Marilyn Rietmann
Mildred Wright
Byron & Joyce Hostetler
Don Robinson
Dick & Virgina Wilkinson
Benham Malcom
Annie Elgin
Jo Bennett
Betty Fulleton
Ruby Fulleton Veatch
George Miller
Dick & Rosie Graham
Cicely Hass
Charlie & Ina Moeller
Eldon Hobbs
Barbara Baker
Mervin Grubaugh
Sumner/Hisler families
Patti Healy Gentry
Maggie Lennon Healy
Aunt Lib Healy Daggett
Uncle Pat Cutsforth
Joe & Ruby Farley
Bernard & Jerry Doherty
Mary Bernadette Doherty
Steven Gregory Doherty
Blackhorse Doherty's
Herb McLaughlin
Hank Pointer
Nonie Pointer
Paul Doherty
Francis Doherty
Helen Doherty Dyer
Betty Doherty Thorsen
Kayle Krebs
Patricia Monahan Barrie
Jiggs Bowman
Bob Bryant
Howard & Beth Bryant
Lucille Kostecha
lyle & Josie Morton
Eldon Wolters
Charles & Jessie Christensen
Harold & Joyce Snider
Ken Snider
Lyle & Josie Morton
Ilene Laughlin
Les Wyman
Carl Jr. & Bette Spaulding
Betty Meyer
Bobbi Miller
Kristi Haguewood Huber
Ken & Anne Fleck
Kenny Fleck
Ronald Joseph Fleck
Glen & Lenna Smith
Gene & Fay Pierce
Mike Pierce
John Rankin
Garrett Zimmer
Ryan Bennett
Harry & Helen O'Donnell
Ted & Rosetta Palmateer
Janet Palmateer Wohlford
Ron Palmateer
Tom Healy
Jack Healy
Spike & MaryAnn Durfee
Stormy Winters
Steven Espinoza
Angie Widner
Mike Nagy
Julius Jay Sieler
Pat VanArsdale
Guy VanArsdale
David McLaughlan
Jim Wishart
Billy Kenny
Allen Hughes
William Hughes Family
Ebb & Pauline Hughes
Virgil & Joan Greene
Getrude Doherty Applegste
Gene Doherty
Riley Winters
Randy Lott
rigon.
Houser said he would
contact the CRCHS execu-
tive director Mindy Binder
and board Chair Lynn Prag.
-learned from Houser
that the procedure room,
which has been under re-
modeling to be able to allow
the district to again conduct
upper and lower endoscopy
(colonoscopy) procedures,
is expected to be completed
and services to be resumed
by July.
-approved a marketing
proposal from Pacific Com-
panies for an advertising
package to attract physi-
cians to the district. Houser
asked the board to accept
the proposal from Pacific
Companies “not to exceed
$16,624.”
Houser said that Pacific
Company representatives
visited MCHD facilities
in Heppner and Irrigon,
spending time with provid-
ers to gather information,
and are putting together an
advertising package target-
ing physicians 60 years
and younger in Oregon,
California, Washington,
Idaho, Utah, Montana and
Wyoming and including
foreign physicians.
-learned from Houser
that Dan Sharp has been
named maintenance su-
pervisor, replacing Carl
Lauritsen who is to retire on
March 30, with a retirement
potluck set on March 30 at
Pioneer Memorial Hospital.
Sharp has been with the
district in the maintenance
department for four years.
-learned that the district
hired Daron Havlik, from
the Scappoose area, to re-
place Sharp.
-approved hiring an
additional maintenance per-
son, rather than contracting
the service out. Mahoney
said that the cost to hire an
additional employee would
be in the neighborhood
of $31,600; however, that
amount would be offset
somewhat as the district
now pays around $20,000
in contract work, which
would then be discontinued.
-learned that the dis-
trict has also hired: Jimmy
Wimer, an x-ray, CT, ul-
trasound, Dexa Scan and
echo-cardiogram tech, to
fill the PMH radiology de-
partment manager position,
effective this month. Betty
Hickerson, director of the
PMH laboratory, had been
temporarily fulfilling that
role. Brenda Potter, a regis-
tered nurse from Stanfield,
has been hired to become a
Home Health and Hospice
nurse, replacing Lani Pryor,
R.N., who resigned earlier
this year.
- THREE
Play proceeds
benefit local family
Sheridan Tarnasky presents the proceeds from “A Rose in
Bloom” to Rachel and Asher Schonbachler. The cast of the
play voted to give the donations received during the perfor-
mances—a total of $771—to Eric and Rachel Schonbachler
to help in Asher’s fight against leukodystrophy 4H Syndrome.
-Contributed photo
-learned from Hous-
er that Pioneer Memorial
Clinic has received a grant
for $25,554 from Eastern
Oregon Coordinated Care
Organization for further
development of the “Ado-
lescent Well Care” proj-
ect started in 2016. PMC
also received an additional
$27,303 grant from EO-
CCO for the “Clinical and
Claims Data Aggregation”
project. Houser said that
part of the funds from this
grant may be used to offset
hiring of an additional IT
tech employee in this bud-
get year.
EOCCO is a group of
health care providers in
eastern Oregon that “work
for people on the Oregon
Health Care plan,” ac-
cording to their statement.
Besides Morrow County,
EOCCO includes Baker,
Gilliam, Grant, Harney,
Lake, Malheur, Sherman,
Umatilla, Union, Wallowa
and Wheeler counties. It
is administered by GOBHI
(Greater Oregon Behavioral
Health, Inc.), and Moda
Health.
-heard from Houser
that the Boardman Home
Health/Hospice office has
been completed.
“Signage for the front
of the building has been
ordered and will be put up
when completed,” he said.
He indicated that the
office will begin to be used
around the first of April if
phone and internet connec-
tions have been completed.
-learned from Houser
that the district has inter-
viewed a quality improve-
ment candidate and is
working out the details for
possible employment. The
potential hiree, whose hus-
band is a respiratory thera-
pist and who has also been
interviewed by MCHD,
would replace Luz Martell,
who resigned.
-heard from Houser
that a part-time respiratory
therapist, quality improve-
ment staff, two RNs, an IT
tech, and EMT-A or EMT
1, a marketing/public rela-
tions staffer and additional
maintenance staff are still
needed.
-received the following
profit loss statement through
February: $777,422 in gross
patient revenue, $2,095 for
bad debts and $145,713 in
contractual and other ad-
justments, plus $168,350 in
tax revenue and $29,574 in
other operating revenue for
$831,728 in total operating
revenue, $859,953 in total
operating expenses and a
$12,019 non-operating gain
for a $16,206 loss for the
month and a $98,431 year-
to-date loss.
-received the follow-
ing report for February:
five in-patient admissions,
five swing bed admissions,
seven observation admis-
sions, 424 outpatient visits,
43 emergency room en-
counters, 1,606 lab tests, 96
x-ray/ultrasound tests, 21
CT scans, seven MRI scans,
13 EKG tests, 41 respira-
tory therapy procedures,
50 Home Health patient
visits, four Hospice admis-
sions, 2,144 drug doses
for $86,076 in revenue;
Pioneer Memorial Clinic
had 392 patient visits with
24 seen by a nurse, no new
patients and 11 no-shows;
Irrigon Medical Clinic had
219 patient visits with 25
new patients, 58 seen by
a nurse and 22 no-shows;
Ione Community Clinic
had 27 patient visits, two
new patients and one no-
show; Heppner Ambulance
had 15 page-outs with 13
transports for $21,901 in
revenue; Boardman Ambu-
lance and 55 page-outs with
19 transports for $29,155
in revenue; Irrigon Ambu-
lance had 19 page-outs with
14 transports for $18,917 in
revenue; Ione ambulance
had one page-out, but no
transports; there was one
flight.