Editor's Note: You may notice a new name in a leadership position and an additional leadership position added. Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham told the Beat that Dan Otero has been made chief administrative officer and Jed Rudd had replaced Otero as chief operations officer. "With the growth in the organization, with the family practice and the other practices that are part of the hospital, including cardiology, psychiatry, and pain management, as well as for 'population health,' this takes us into the future. We needed more focus in the area."

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees meeting at noon, Friday, Feb. 27, the members honored two long-time employees of the hospital. Yvonne Holguin has worked for 15 years in the operating room and Debra Martinez, for 15 years in registration. Neither was there to receive her recognition.

In his chief executive officer report, CEO Brian Cunningham said the financial bottom line has a cushion of $1.1 million. He explained that fiscal year 2014 was dedicated to cleaning up processes and stabilizing the finances of the hospital. "This year, 2015 is our growth and investment year."

Dr. Donald Stinar, board member, asked about a statistic he read in the CEO's report. "New Mexico is ranked 10th in patient well-being? We're usually at the bottom."

Cunningham said the ranking had occurred in a recent Gallup Poll, with New Mexico moving up from 33rd to 10th place.

Wanda True, assistant vice president of Nursing, answered questions about the CNO report, in the absence of Chief Nursing Officer Pay Sheyka.

Pam Archibald, board vice chairwoman, asked how long precept nurses are in place before becoming full nursing staff.

True said the hospital has five new nurses in precept, with all but one having had experience in long-term care facilities, such as assisted living facilities. "They will go fast and it will be about six to eight weeks for the transition. For some of these, it is a second career. We also have one nurse, who came as a traveling nurse, who has decided to stay with the hospital."

Board Chairman Charles Kelly asked if the hospital is short on nurses.

True said 14 positions are open, with the highest need in critical care, the intensive care unit and emergency room.

The Chief Administrative Officer Dan Otero said the new family practice of GRMC would open Monday, March 2, with a 75 percent full schedule for March, with appointments being scheduled into April. The practice will hold an open house, Wednesday, March 11 from 4-6 p.m.

Chief Operating Officer Jed Rudd said, after assessing to ensure a smooth change to the Meditech 6 information technology, leadership has decided to extend the transition. "We are looking at the first quarter of 2016, because we are focusing on quality."

He said his department has been assessing quality assurances and improvements. "We want to establish and make sure we are using a best-practices approach."

Chief of Clinical Services Ray Goellner answered a question from Archibald. "Yes, the fluoroscopy unit has been ordered. We estimate it will be May or June by the time it is installed."

Cunningham, also in response to Archibald, noted that it was a non-budgeted item, but the funding would come from a more expensive piece of other equipment that was not ordered.

Goellner estimated the hospital performs five or six fluoroscopic procedures a week. "The new machine may increase volume. It allows X-rays to be done in the same office."

Beth Allred, Controller, spoke in place of Chief Financial Officer Omaira Heakin, who was out of town. "We had a positive bottom line of $11,000 in January. As Mr. Cunningham, noted, we have a positive cumulative bottom line of $1.1 million for the year. We are doing very well."

Chief of Staff Dr. Greg Koury said the Medical Executive Committee is looking at peer review and requesting information from medical staff on specific issues. "I want to commend medical staff on keeping up with medical records. We were 60 percent delinquent, and now it's below 5 percent." He also said the group was trying to address "misbehaviors early, to nip them in the bud."

On the MEC, Dr. Odocha would fill a surgery spot. "We are adding a sub-committee-Perinatal, which includes members from the Medicine and Surgery sub-committees."

Cunningham thanked Koury for his involvement. "As chief of staff, he has been incredible. He is addressing critical needs."

Stinar asked what was the advantage of the different groups within the MEC.

"The Perinatal group was not being represented by Medicine," Koury replied. "Dr. Michelle Diaz is heading it up, and it's quite active."

He said Dr. Brian Robinson had tried to step down from the Surgery Sub-Committee, but that administration was working with him weekly to work on issues within the hospital that had slowed down his practice. "He has the most understanding of the issues. We have an excellent MEC now."

Jeremiah-Garcia, board secretary-treasurer, asked about all the contracts the board reviews each month. "How many serve the community with hospital privileges and on contract?" Cunningham said he would get the information to him.

Dr. Victor Nwachuku, who recently was replaced by Koury as chief of staff, was welcomed back to the board in one of the physician positions. He was appointed Thursday by the Grant County Commission to fill the unexpired term of Dr. John Stanley, who resigned from the board to create a family practice as part of the hospital.

Kelly said the Executive Committee created the agenda for the meeting.

Garcia presented the Quality Improvement Committee report. "I compliment the team for really working on the dashboard." Rudd explained the color scheme indicated the stage where specific opportunities stood. "It shows what needs to improve, what types of gradation of activity each is in, with some focused on quality, some impacting quality, and we are assessing whether there is support for each process. Those areas we are meeting in measure, we will continue monitoring to make sure they keep meeting the measure."

Garcia said board members could bring up a graph to show where the hospital is in the process. "We're seeing detailed information. I compliment the team on the progress made in quality."

Nwachuku noted the graphs show not just the deficiencies, but the ability to assess data and how to address things when GRMC is not doing as well as other hospitals and how to make the facility better.

Archibald said the Finance Committee had only one contract for recommendation of approval. It was a personal service member agreement for Dr. Stephen Sherick to serve on the MEC.

The Plant and Facilities Committee would have items to announce at next month's meeting.

Garcia, reporting on the Human Resources Committee, said the group always looks at contract labor. The majority this month is in traveling nurses. "We will keep having travelers until we get more nurses in place," Cunningham said.

The board, after a 15-minut break, went into executive session.