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Show Hospital considering management contract Negotiations are in progress for management by contract of the county hospital. Approval for the move came last week. By unanimous vote, the San Juan County Hospital Board chose LHS Management Services, one of six companies being considered for the job. LHS, an affiliate of Lutheran Health Systems based in Fargo, North Dakota, currently manages 22 health care facilities in seven Western states. The selection of LHS culmsearch inates a conducted by a committee to investigate hospital management firms. The committee was appointed by the hospital two-mont- Ever enduring at Verdure. Frank Morrell photo aim Juan Record HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER September 7, 1988 25 cents 70 No 31 Vol FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH District One county commissioner will be decided in primary The winner on the Republi- can ticket in the September 13 primary election will be the next county commissioner from district one. That man will be either incumbent Ken Bailey or challenger Ty Lewis. There are no contenders on the Democra, tic ticket. In the primary election, voters may vote a Democratic ticket or a 'Republican ticket, but not both. Commission district one includes the voting precincts of Navajo Mountain, Oljato, Halls Crossing, Ucolo, Cedar Point, LaSal, Spanish Valley, and three precincts in Monticello. A public notice on page 18 of this paper lists the location of the voting polls for all district one precincts. Although no elections will be held in commission districts two and three this year, the make up of the commission will change if Calvin Black, incumbent from district two, is successful in his bid for a seat in the Utah Senate. In that event, a person will be appointed by county commissioners to fill Blacks seat. Utah law stipulates that the appointee will be chosen from among candidates recommended by the political party to which the person giving up an elected position belongs. Bailey, county commissioner Legislation creating enterprise., zones within the rural serve. Lewis, who is seeking his first elective office, says his experience in leading, working with and motivating people is need- ed in the county. Impact Board approves grant and loan for Monticello industrial site Action last week by the State Community Impact Board makes a proposed industrial site east of Monticello a possibility. Setting aside the usual waiting period, the Board awarded Monticello a $720,000 low interest loan, and a $268,000 grant. The funds will be used to industrial site develop a east of Monticello on US-66across the highway from the Utah Highway Patrol port of 35-ac- re 6 Grand County now enterprise zone Governor Norman Bangerter announced on September 1 that Grand, Garfield, Beaver, Juab and Carbon counties have been officially designated as enterprise zones. for the past eight years, describes himself as the candidate with the experience, desire, ability and commitment to area of Utah provides for state corporate and franchise tax credits for the generation of jobs in both new and existing businesses. It also allows an investment tax credit for investments in plant and entry station. City council members, county and county commissioners, board personnel development who presented the request for funding were elated. The loan is earmarked to finance construction of a building. The grant is for purchase of land, engineering, legal fees, and extension of water and sewer lines to the site. The funds will be placed in escrow pending satisfactory agreement with a company that has expressed interest in locating a Diant at the site. In addition to the loan and grant, the city of Monticello will add $20,000. San Juan County will provide $92,254 for roads, and utility companies will give $67,747 for extending utility lines to the industrial site. The prospective company has said it will provide over $600,000 for on-sit- e service systems. h board. services, including physician Acrecruitment assistance. cording to LHS, they have been successful in recruiting a significant number of primary care practitioners to LHS operations across rural America. eduPresenting cation would be another priorMulti-daeducational ity. for sessions hospital administrator, director of nursing and cost-effecti- y selected department heads would be required periodically. Unlimited access of tele- phone consultation by hospital board members, administrator and finance director is another benefit. Other services in the management contract include: Like small rural hospitals nationwide San Juan Hospital grapples with escalating costs and fewer patient days. The move to a management firm is an attempt to upgrade county health services and decelerate operational losses, reported as high as $400,000 in 1987. This will be the second venture by the county to solve health care problems by using a management firm. A contract with Intermountain Health Care, signed November 1 of 1980, lasted less than 15 months. Since that time there have been three hospital administrators and one attempt to manage the hospital by committee. Physician recruitment problems and the recurring question of whether to sell or lease the hospital are issues that have continued to plague the county. County commissioner and hospital board member Ken Bailey said last week, The days of an individual hospital administrator are over. Without the help of a mangement company, a rural hospital will not survive. Commissioner Calvin Black, chairman of the hospital board, A single adminiconcurred. strator cannot provide the expertise needed in this era of specialization. With a management company, the hospital has access to input and help in all areas. John Fellmeth, hospital administrator since October of 1986, will continue ve Operational oversight visits by LHS executives quarterly or as hospital needs dictate, Development of a strategic marketing plan, Analysis and oversight of hospital finances, Legislative updates of state and federal issues impacting hospitals, . Administrator recruitment and evaluation, An information network, Monthly productivity reports, Rural health research projects, Hospital board education and Optional consulting serself-evaluatio- n, vices. The LHS management contract includes an annual base management fee of $47,600. Quality assurance program development, materials management, group purchasing, legal services, and a human resources system would bring the total to $53,000 per year. The committee who recommended LHS Management did so with enthusiasm. They are: John Fellmeth, hospital administrator; Rita Walker, assistant administrator; Karl R. Kelly Nicholes, M.D.; Steven E. Warren, M.D.; and, Marilee Bailey, registered nurse. The committee gave LHS a unanimous vote of approval s because of the companys quali-fication- and reasonable management costs. in that capacity until and if the county signs a contract with LHS. At that time, LHS will bring in a temporary administrator and begin recruitment for a permanent adminstrator. The management contract with LHS would provide several SCHOOL'S 093N P3AS3 DRW CARFUtt' |