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Show JCR I Volume 66 Number Price .35 Wednesday, March 30, 1988 13 Consultant advises Problems at GV Hospital are not insurmount able" Financial problems stemming from high accounts receivables and lower than average patient days stepped up the fact finding assignment by Dr. Richard McDermott at the Gunnison Valley Hospital. He spent the weekend going over the financial records at the hospital in an effort to identify problems to then followup with a course of action. McDermott explained that before anyone can see solutions they have to see and identify the problems and we are identifying them, he said. Presently he is focusing his interviewing on the financial departments at the hospital and has found lots of problems that are not easily solvable but solvable. Patient charges at the Gunnison V alley Hospital are some of the lowest in the state, right there at the bottom, and McDermott stated that the institution has to be competitive because of the same costs incurred by most hospitals. The second area of concern that will need attention in the future is the decrease in patience volume at the hospital. Preliminary patient day figures show that Medicare patient days are down 15 percent, Pediatrics down 17 percent and Self PayInsurance patients are down 30 percent this year. OB services are up 4 percent. We need to look at this and find out why the population is going elsewhere for services, said McDermott. We are still looking at why this trend is so by identifying the problems and talking with people. The third area of concern tied into thepoor financial condition of the hospital is in the business office itself. McDermott explained that he is impressed with the quality and willingness to perform of the staff there but Easter activites at Salina Park The Salina Chamber of Commerce invites all kids, 12 and under, and their parents to come to the new City Park for Easter festivities, Saturday, April 2, at 9 a.m. An Easter Egg Hunt is planned, and special eggs will entitle the finder to special prizes. Games and races will be held, including a Frisbee throw. Egg Toss, Egg Race, and Dart Gun Shoot The Easter Bunny is scheduled to make a guest appearance. The event is free to all, and everyone is urged to attend. sets Junior Prom NSHS The North Sevier High School Junior Prom will be held Saturday, April 9. Theme this year is Feelof Forever, and colors are hot ings pink, black and silver. The music for the Prom London will be provided by Bridge. Pictures will be taken by Mansion House'. Peggy Mason is choreoPromenade. the graphing Heading the Prom committee are Salina Orso and Heather Mason. Self Esteem the business office hasnt had the tools needed to be as effective as they should be. He felt the office needs additional training and the use of a new computer system that will speed up areas of billing and collecting for the hospital. The fourth area of concern was needs? He stated that there are ways of improving cash flow shortages and accounts receivable problems but when total patient day volume is down some 16 percent from the commitment needs to come from the people who need hospital services. The problems at the hospital are not insurmountable nor unreasonable, said McDermott. He felt there were some good things found in the way of an excellent medical staff and dedicated employees. He felt that the morale of the employees has been effected by the uncertainty of all that has been happening but that dedicated service to the patients is the end result. He also stated that the employees have been very cooperative and that the data is all there and in order. I find no evidence of fraud or any gross negligence just the need for better training and better tools for which to do the job. McDermott will have explained these findings to the board and the board will meet Monday evening in an effort to prepare for future findings and suggestions. Mayors and City Council members will also attend to discuss their support and obligation towards the debts of the hospital. We feel good about the way it is going, said board member Rodney Anderson. We are spending more than we are bringing in but with the right changes controlling the problems are not out of reach. Attention All Cranes RECORD BREAKING SALE: Producers Livestock Auction, Salina, set a new record last week as they passed 3,132 cattle through the sale in record time. The figure was about 500 over the last highest totals. The Auction began in 1965, and it broke the one million dollar mark about one month ago. The last sale saw nearly $1 .5 million in checks, It was the biggest weve ever had, said Bob Bagley. A new marketing service begins this Thursday, utilizing the Satellite cattle exchange, Amarillo, TX, and will offer 11,000 head of cattle for sale, including several loads from our local area. The Open House will begin at 9 a.m., March 31 . Athletes must register by April Time is getting short for those who want to participate in the Regional Trials for the Utah Summer Games in this area, to register. Anyone from Nephi south, will be required to participate in these Regionals to qualify for the Games which are held in Cedar City in June. Logan, Salt Lake, and Orem are hosting Trials for their areas during the month of assignments will need to be made, such as timing the different events, changing equipment on the track and field, keeping statistics, gatekeepers, helping set up events, and much more. If you can help, please call right away! The Regional Trials for the Utah Summer Games for the southern Division, (hosted by Richfield and Salina) will be held April 14, 15, and 16, and April 21, 22, 23. 7 Television coverage is expected, and an Opening ceremony will be staged in Salina. If you would be able to help in any way, contact a Chamber member today. April. The Regional Trials will host competition in basketball, volleyball, Attention all Cranes! If you are a softball, swimming, and track and Field. descendant of Elias Crane, you are Recently, the Salina Chamber of urged to attend a meeting on March 30, Commerce approached the Sevier Disat 7 p.m. at the Salina Senior Citizen trict School Board to help get equipment building. The meeting will be for the that is needed on the new North Sevier purpose of organizing a family reunion. High School Track Complex, for use in thesegames. After the games, the equipment will be turned over to the High School. The Chamber offered $3,000 towards the project, while the District Riding club lists events The Salina Riding Club has planned a day of Fun and Games with Horses, at the Salina Rodeo Grounds, April 16. Games will begin at 1 p.m., and continue to 5 p.m. Cost for the day is $5 per family - be sure to bring your horses. approved nearly $4,000, for such items pit, poles, shot put equipment, and more. It is expected that literally thousands of participants and spectators will be in the Richfield-Salin- a area during the two weekends of the Game Trials. Volunteers are needed in this area to help with the Games. Anyone who is willing to help is asked to call Mel Briggs, Roger Nielson, Jeff Brewer, Dana Shaw, Ivan Hendrickson, or any Chamber of Commerce member. Many as Hurdles, high jump Don't forget to turn those clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night. Spring is officially here, and one of our annual Spring events includes changing from Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time. Remember the old adage, "Spring ahead; Fall back!" The new time change will give you more daylight hours at the end of the day to putter in your garden. It was originally begun to give farmers more daylight hours to work their fields. Workshop A Workshop concerning Self Esteem for Teens for parents will be held in six weekly sessions, beginning April 11, through May 16, from 7 to 9 p.m., at North Sevier High School. Instructors Kent Jacobsen and Teresa Robinson will offer parents the opportunity to learn effecg tive ways of with their children in order to increase their inter-actin- childs self-estee- For more information contact Mr. Jacobsen or Ms. Robinson at the high school, 529-344- Filing deadline for political office in Sevier County, Apr. 1 5 Filing deadline for Sevier county political offices which will become vacant this year, is April 15, according to the Sevier County Clerk. So far, the following have filed: Sevier County Republican Commissioner Jerry Nice, has filed for the four year commission post He is now completing a two year term as Commis- sioner. Filing for the four year office is Both Darrell Hintze, of Richfield. Hintze and Nice filed as Republicans. Dwight Daniels, of School Board Precinct Number 4, which includes Aurora, Sigurd, Venice, Glenwood, Anabclla, Central and Koosharem, has announced that he will not seek Filing for that vacancy so far, is Judy Oldroyd, of Glenwood. WIND DAMAGE: Sunday's gale force winds picked up this trampoline at the home of Steve Jensen in Redmond carried it about 80 feet into the air, over the house and onto his pickup truck parked in the front yard. The impact broke his windshield and completely destroyed the trampoline. |
