News

Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) Board of Trustees met on September 29^th, 2025, in the Alliance Room. Board members reviewed and approved the consent calendar, which included the financial report, policy updates, and credentialing requests.

Quality and Safety Report

Quality Management Specialist Summer Gonzalez reported that we have reinitiated our Fall Prevention Work Group. Our multidisciplinary team will be meeting and reviewing all of our reported falls and looking for opportunities for improvement. Alongside of this we have launched a Medication Errors Work Group that will be meeting to discuss reports and look for and create action plans as a multidisciplinary approach to the prevention of medication error. Quality Management has also launched a KPI (Key Performance Indicators) program at Box Butte General Hospital. Through this our staff will be reporting important tracking metrics to the Board and Senior Leadership.

Insured and Uninsured

Chief Operations Officer Gabe Behling presented our redefined policy on Insured and Uninsured Payments and Discounts. This policy is to encourage prompt payment of self-pay balances. Provide financial payment incentives (relief) to uninsured patients and reduce the cost of collection. Insured patients will receive a 10% discount on their self-pay balance if payment is made within 30 days of the first statement date. Uninsured patients will receive a 20% discount on their self-pay balance if payment is made within 90 days of the first statement date. Patients who have reached a lifetime limit on their insurance benefits will be considered uninsured for services in excess of that limit. Discount is episode specific and only if paid in full. Discount is available upon request. Additional discount amounts are available at the discretion of the PFS and Clinic Billing managers, and the CFO and CEO on a case by case basis. Discounts approved by managers, CFO or CEO are entered by cash entry clerk. Discounts should not be considered or approved for family members. Discount adjustments are reviewed by the CFO at the time that financial reports are done monthly. It is the responsibility of the patient to request the discount at the time of payment. This policy was approved by the board and is effective immediately.

General Staff Meeting

Chief of Staff Dr. Timothy Narjes presented that we had a general medical staff meeting and went over educating staff on processes for charting and finalizing paperwork. This is to streamline coding and help shorten our billing cycle. Dr. Timothy Narjes mentioned that we are at the start of RSV and Flu season and is encouraging good hand hygiene.

Dr. Chu’s Retirement

Interim CEO Dr. Shelmadine announced Dr. Chu’s retirement at the end of October and the opening for an emergency room provider which is posted online. This position will be filled with temporary staff until permanent staff is hired.

IT

Chief Operations Officer Gabe Behling reported that the Meditech/Tegria Optimization plan is 84% complete. Meditech is working through most of the remaining projects and are expected to finish the project soon. Meditech leadership is working closely with Box Butte General Hospital and are giving their full support. Our IT Team is working on computer access opportunities to enable staff and contractors to work more efficiently with our operating systems.

Partnerships

Chief Nursing Officer Erica Lauder reported we will be partnering with Rural Sleep around the beginning of the year to empower our sleep study program to better help patients. Our partnership with Rural Sleep will allow us to expand into home sleep studies. We are switching our laboratory accreditations to COLA. Traveling staff is declining as we bring on more permanent staff. Interim CEO Dr. Brian Shelmadine mentioned we are working on our Swing Bed referrals and partnerships both internally and externally with partners like Regional West and Monument Health. We have a meeting scheduled to work with Monument Health to better help patients coming from their facility. Chief Operations Officer Gabe Behling is working on our 340B program and we are going to be switching to a partnership with Craneware to enhance our program for pharmacy.

NHA Political Action Committee

Interim CEO Dr. Shelmadine introduced an appeal to support the Nebraska Hospital Association Political Action Committee (NHAPAC), a fund supported through contributions of hospital administrators and staff that are then distributed to those individuals running for office identified as recognizing the importance of health care in Nebraska. More information on this can be found at www.nebraskahospitals.org/advocacy/nhapac.html

Reappointment of Board Members

Executive Assistant Jennifer Dentler announced reappointment of Dr. Tom Furman and John Annen to Box Butte General Hospital’s board of directors. Interim CEO Dr. Brian Shelmadine congratulated Board President Dr. Tom Furman and Secretary John Annen on their reappointment by the Box Butte County Commissioners for another 6-year term on the board. The team acknowledged all of the work they have contributed to BBGH and how thankful they are to have them on our board for another 6 years.

Employee Recognition

The Employee of the Month for September, Dietary Cook Robert Braker, was recognized at the meeting. The Board was also introduced to new employees including IT Support Tech Timothy Barnes, Radiology Tech Emily Schmidt, Dietary Assistant Cook Riley Picket Pin, and Dietary Cook Donald Smith.

The meeting moved into executive session at 12:56 PM. The next board meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at noon in the Alliance Room. The public is welcome to attend. Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Box Butte General Hospital is the successor of St. Joseph Hospital, serving the healthcare needs of Box Butte County and the surrounding area since 1976. BBGH is a non-profit facility, dedicated to serving the needs of residents and visitors alike. Box Butte General Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare since 1951.

BBGH is a Critical Access Hospital with 25-beds for all patient types- acute, observation, swing, intensive care, etc.- with a staff of over 300 employees providing a variety of services. Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.