BBGH June Board Meeting
The BBGH Board of Trustees’ meeting was called to order at 12:01pm Monday, June 29th, in the Alliance Room and via Zoom. Four board members were present with one absent. Discussions involved BBGH’s agreement to be a host site for TestNebraska, priorities of the hospital as the pandemic continues, and the essentials of quality management. The finance report and credentialing requests were approved as presented.
TestNebraska and BBGH have come together to provide a testing site in Alliance, NE. Sidney, Scottsbluff, and Chadron are also possible hosts for TestNebraska. Ideally becoming a test site would allow for testing to be given for large groups such as long-term care facilities. This would allow for support within the community to keep the virus from spreading throughout a high-risk population. Details of the partnership will be available in following days.
As COVID-19 continues to surge throughout the United States and summer travel begins, BBGH is continuing to monitor staff. Daily health screenings for symptoms of illness, close contact to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19, and if international travel has taken place continue to be monitored to ensure the safety of staff members and patients.
Surveillance and testing have begun for West Nile virus in the state. As of June 22nd, there are zero positive cases of West Nile in Nebraska. There are 189 mosquito pools across the state that are tested and pools in Dawes, Box Butte, Garden, and Scotts Bluff County are among them.
Mary Mockerman, CQO presented an update on the quality management of BBGH. Joint Commission surveyed the laboratory this week. This survey takes place every three years as part of the accreditation to be a certified hospital under Joint Commission. The Joint Commission will survey the remainder of the hospital in the upcoming weeks. BBGH’s Senior Life Solutions is set to open in the coming weeks. The accreditation survey for this entity will take place within six months of patient services beginning.
BBGH has reopened all elective surgeries and continues to test all patients for COVID-19 during the pre-op appointment. This practice will be re-evaluated in the next week to decide if it is essential to continue.
New BBGH employees include Kassidy Oliver, RN, Kennedy Cyza, RN, Rebecca Standage, LPN, Samantha Holzapfel, RN, Megan Boness, RN, Stacey Grant, RN, Jaclyn Nolde, RN Delta Serl, Temp Screener/Lobby Attendant, Shayleen Behm, RN, Denasha Schmunk, Program Director, Heather Binns, LIMHP, CPC, and Jaclyn Nolde, RN ER. Recent staff recognitions include: Employee of the Month Joni Woods, OR Unit Clerk.
The next BBGH regular board meeting is Monday, July 27th at noon in the Alliance Room. In interest of the Directed Health Measure issued for Box Butte County, the public is welcome to attend via Zoom.
Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
