From left are GRMC Interim CEO Scott Manis, governing board member Chris Ponce, Chair Alicia Edwards presenting to Holly Glick, governing board members Harry Browne and Javier "Harvey" Salas, and waiting to receive her recognition, Mayra Jaquez. Photo courtesy of GRMC.

From left are Manis, Ponce, Edwards presenting to Jaquez, governing board members Browne and Salas. Photo courtesy of GRMC

By Mary Alice Murphy

Members of the Gila Regional Medical Center Governing Board, who are also the five Grant County commissioners, at the July 29, 2021, regular meeting, recognized five employees of the hospital, two of whom were in attendance to receive their recognition plaques in person. Holly Glick received recognition of her 15 years of service in nursing and, Mayra Jaquez, who has served GRMC for 15 years in nursing, attended to receive her plaque.

Those not in attendance but recognized by commissioners were Shelly Malone for 15 years of service, presently in EMS (Emergency Medical Services), Sonia Sanchez for 10 years of service in nursing, and Mari Kraman for 5 years of service in occupational therapy.

Chair Alicia Edwards expressed her appreciation for all these staff members' service to the community. "Without you, we would have no hospital."

With no public input, the members went into executive session, after Edwards noted that member Billy Billings had been unable to attend, with "an excused absence."

When they returned into regular session, Edwards noted that they had taken no action during the executive session but had discussed several items that would be considered during the public meeting.

The first report came from Interim Chief Executive Officer Scott Manis.

He began his report with a comment they had received from a patient in the ambulatory surgery area. "This is reflective of the services we provide. This patient specifically called out some nurses and providers. She rated everything very good. Under the care provider section, she said: 'My doctor, Dr. Frederick Wendler, is so gifted in his field of medicine. He was and is so professional, kind and compassionate. I'm so thankful.' Under the general comments, she said: 'My husband and I have received care in numerous hospitals over the past 80-plus years. I can honestly say that Gila Regional Medical Center is by far the very best.' Very nice compliment. We focus often on things that we are maybe not doing as well as we could, so it's very nice to hear patients recognize all the hard work our team members provide."

He said the hospital is on track for the swing bed process. "We expect to kick it off next week (the week of Aug. 2). Kelly (Chief Nursing Officer Rodriguez) will speak more on that. We've now been to Lordsburg twice so far. It's been primarily patients that come here for our clinic here in Silver City, but we have a couple of new patients. You may have seen the story published that the first patient Dr. Norman Ratliff treated in Lordsburg was the very first patient he saw when he came to the community years ago. It wasn't planned but happened that way. We thank the Grant County Beat and the Daily Press for publishing the story."

Manis said the first ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeries by the National Science Institute physician, Dr. Ian Alexander, would be happening in August. "We really look forward to growing our business with them. ENT surgical services will be available in the community very, very soon."

He said the hospital had received notice from the state on grant funding for about $49,000 for "our participation in our Level 4 Trauma services, as well as for education and community advocacy for things that are related to trauma. That is part of the funding that will continue now that we are a designated Level 4 Trauma Center. We used to get a few thousand dollars for education, but now that has ramped up because we are designated as a trauma center. Thanks to Kelly and her team for taking the charge on that. We're due for a one-year recertification coming up soon."

"We did receive notice from the state yesterday on a $258,000 grant that is part of the American Rescue Plan Act related to Covid, Covid testing, vaccination activities and things of that nature," Manis said. "Those are some monies released from the federal government. We will be using them for education, Covid testing, mitigations and all sorts of activities over the next year to meet the federal guidelines."

Governing Board Member Harry Browne asked if William Hemmer, infectious disease specialist, is still heading up the effort. Manis said Hemmer and Rodriguez would continue the effort. "We have documentation we have to submit on a regular basis."

He announced a new department director in Imaging Services, Victor Aime. "He joined us about a month ago, with a lot of experience. It was a big gap in our service, and he has a big job ahead of him, but we are happy to have him to grow the department and its services."

Manis said the hospital has been working with the Council of Governments on the EDA grant on the roofing project. "We are very close to having our documentation reviewed by the EDA so we can bring to the governing board our recommendation for a contractor for that project. We can't proceed until the EDA approves everything. We are working with CES (the state procurement agency) to streamline the bidding process. We anticipate bringing it to the governing board at the August meeting."

He announced receipt of funding from NM EMS (emergency medical services) of about $27,000 for education and equipment. "We are thankful for the additional funding."

Manis said a blood drive will be coming up at the hospital on Aug. 26, 2021. "I want to keep emphasizing them, because of blood shortages everywhere."

The last thing he talked about ties in with the recommendation on the EMS tariff application coming up on the agenda.

"We have been evaluating a lot of services at the hospital over time," Manis said. "We have been evaluating the EMS service. We provide a great service to the community. We are unique in that we provide EMS for the community. In many other communities, they have outsourced the service. We're grateful to have it here. We have had it since 1986. There is a state rate set for EMS services, much similar to taxi and other transportation rates. It all falls into the same classification for the PRC (Public Regulations Commission). Prior to 2017, the hospital was on a separate rate from the state rate. In 2017, we went on the state rate. At least a half dozen services around the state are not on the state rate. Upon evaluation, we believe it would be in the best interest of GRMC EMS to request a separate rate. Continuing the service is within the mission and vision of GRMC, but it needs additional financial support to offset increasing expenses. The county covers 4,000 square miles, with four stations and 11 ambulances, with most runs initiated from the main station next to the hospital and the second most from the Bayard station. We also have stations farther out east and farther out west. We have about 4000-ish runs on average, with about 8,000 over the past couple of years. A good percentage is for transfers to other facilities for advanced care or for services we don't provide."

He said it takes a lot longer to take a patient even to Las Cruces, because they have to go a bit slower and then check the patient in and then return, so you're looking at 4½-5 hours for a round trip and about 12 hours round trip to Albuquerque. We put on about 200,000 miles on our ambulances just on transfers every year. We see a shortfall of about $300,000 in a year. We want to continue to provide the service. Some of the justification that we are putting in the application is so that we can continue to replace our aging fleet, many of which have several hundred miles on them. Most of our transfers are farther than in other areas of the state, so that's part of our justification, too. We, also, continue to see competition for our staff members, especially paramedics. We are requesting a 12 percent rate increase. That is not across-the-board because there are several categories, but it would bring in an increase of about $430,000 gross, and about $201,000 net. It's an incremental step in the rate. We are submitting the preliminary application to the PRC. If they approve it and send it back, we will then file the application. There will be 20 days of comment period and then the PRC will approve it or not."

Browne asked about the payer mix for EMS services, and Manis replied that it is more in line with the Emergency Department.

Interim CFO Greg Brickner said he has offered to bring the numbers to the governing board next month.

Manis noted that those that use the service lean more toward the self-paying patients, rather than the insured.

Browne asked if it would affect Medicaid. "No, it won't," Manis said. "Typically, those who self-pay don't pay."

Brickner said they generally qualify as charity cases. The reimbursement depends on the commercially insured and their deductibles. "It may make a difference to a patient where they are in their deductible. It's unique to every individual."

Browne thanked Manis for the charts on transports. "Are we transferring more or fewer?"

Manis replied: "More, because we no longer have psych services here."

Rodriguez noted that the numbers were fairly static for cardiac and neurological cases.

Manis said transfers are typically made in the transit van, which is licensed as an ambulance.

The next article will begin with the CNO report.