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BBGH Trustees tour new Fluoroscopy Room renovation and equipment

BBGH Diagnostic Imaging Department Manager Carolyn Angelesy (standing behind the new fluoro machine in the left photo), explains what it can do to members of the BBGH Board of Trustees and BBGH staff during the monthly Trustees meeting held Dec. 27. She moved the machine (which is so heavy it required 6 inches of cement flooring be poured to hold it) with ease using various controls and a joystick (right photo).

The Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) Board of Trustees met Tuesday, December 27 for their regular monthly meeting. The highlight of the evening was a tour given by Diagnostic Imaging Manager Carolyn Anglesey of the hospital’s new Fluoroscopy Room renovation and the new, state-of-the-art equipment it contains.

“Our new equipment will take x-rays and do fluoro,” she told the Trustees and staff present. Fluoro is used to take live x-rays (like a video), so the medical provider can see motion and swallowing, and see barium as it moves through the intestines. “We will be doing a variety of exams with it, such as Esophograms (to look at the esophagus); Upper GIs (to look at the stomach and small intestine); Barium Enema (looking at the large intestine); and Arthrograms (visualizing joint spaces, like the shoulder or hip,” she continued. “That’s especially useful for our Orthopedic Surgeons, as Arthograms provide better imagery than even an MRI can provide.” The new Siemens Luminos Agile Max fluoro was installed this month (December 2016). It provides many reductions in X-ray dose in comparison to the old fluoro it replaced, with software to enhance image quality. “The digital technology will improve workflow by quite a bit,” Ms. Anglesey said, “as there is no need to change a cassette between exposures.” The new piece of equipment has automatic tube and detector alignment, using a 17”x17” flat panel detector with distortion free images. The table patients lie on is height adjustable, which lowers to 26 inches for easier and safer transfer of patients, and rotates vertically for imagery requiring the patient to stand. The wide 31.5” table has a high weight capacity of 606 lbs. “This is so much better than the old fluoro we removed in January of 2016,” she said. “Imagine working with a computer that was built in 2004 today. I mean, the technology has vastly improved. We just love it and it will provide great imagery for our providers for many years to come.”

In other business, the board recognized Jennifer Monroe, LPN, Special Services Dept., as the Employee of the Month for December. Also recognized was Surgery Manager Kaitlyn Stabnow, RN, BSN, for completing her Certified Nurse in the Operation Room Certification and Patient Financial Services Manager Carla Ridenhower for obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. BBGH CEO Lori Mazanec also mentioned that Beckenhauer Construction’s Project Manager Jim Bargen (who has been project manager for the new addition and renovations at BBGH since the beginning) was named that company’s Employee of the Year recently. The board then welcomed aboard new employees Ryan Ackerman, PTA, The Rehab and Wellness Center and Shantel Lurz, LPN, in the PCU.

After unanimously approving the consent calendar and taking the afore mentioned Diagnostic Imaging tour, the Trustees heard the monthly Quality Management & Safety Report from Chief Quality Officer Mary Mockerman. She informed the board that The Joint Commission has accelerated its survey for Box Butte General Hospital by one year (usually the cycle is every three years). She anticipated the unannounced survey would be done in the fourth quarter of 2017, though there is a possibility it will occur in the third quarter. She added that there will also be an announced one day survey by two surveyors in the first quarter of 2017. The hospital can ask the surveyors to focus either on a general survey or one that is more specific. She said the hospital is focusing on staff education and national public safety goals. Ms. Mockerman added that the hospital is also looking at developing best practices to make sure new support medical staff (technologists, nurses, etc.) is competent to do what they do at BBGH. She said forensic staff (deputy sheriffs, police officers) procedures for consistent education on patient safety and patient rights is also being developed; needed due to forensic staff changing all the time. “They are very receptive one on one, and that isn’t an issue,” she said. “But we do need a comprehensive plan for that.” An annual pain assessment education program is also being developed for all medical staff, again for consistency sake. Structured educational procedures are also being developed for physical site infection prevention for everyone involved in surgeries as well as education for non-environmental services staff so that they know what products should be used to clean what kind of spills or items in different areas of the hospital.

Chief of Staff Dr. Tim Narjes reported that providers are now seeing a lot of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases. RSV mostly occurs in children, though adults can contract it as well. He said some influenza is being seen. Ms. Mockerman said the state’s influenza monitoring system wen from “no activity” to “local” activity within a week. He added medical staff is dealing with increased patient load with the recent resignation announcements from a couple mid-level practitioners.

After approving the November Financial Report presented by CFO Bridget Miller, Ms. Mazanec asked what would be a good day to meet with a representative of Quorum Health Resources, the company who developed the hospital’s new strategic plan. After discussion, the Trustees will determine the best date after checking their personal calendars.

The CEO then gave an update on Physician Recruitment, saying she has recently signed an engagement agreement with Delta Physician Replacement, with a designated recruiter to be on site Thursday, Dec. 29, to tour the facility and community, as well as visit with key personnel about what they would like to see in recruitment efforts, including physicians. She said the representative from the company has 15 years’ experience in the Air Force recruiting for health professionals.

She then asked the board if they felt the annual Board Member Self-Assessment Questionnaire was helpful for them. Trustee David Briggs said it is, especially for new members, as it helps them identify areas where they feel they need more education. Trustee Linda Schneider concurred. With that input, Ms. Mazanec said she would be sending them their questionnaires soon.

The Trustees then went over the latest Press Ganey Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) in-patient survey for the Sept.-Nov. 2016 period. The survey covers 18 categories, with Always, Usually, Sometimes and Never the answers given by respondents. HCAHPS only considers the “Always” answer. Most top box categories showed declines in the “Always” answer. “That isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Ms. Mazanec said. “With recent staff turnover, we will be able to identify the areas we need to provide education in to improve those scores and more importantly our patient care delivery.”

Ms. Mazanec asked the Trustees to approve a $25 per employee meal cost for the annual Employee Recognition Dinner to be held Friday, January 20, at Newberry’s. The meal cost is the same as last year. The board unanimously approved the request.

After unanimously approving all credentialing requests, the Trustees adjourned the meeting at 8:03pm.

The next regular board meeting will be held Monday, January 30 at 7:00pm in the BBGH Alliance Room. As always, the public is invited to attend.

Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.