By Mary Alice Murphy

{Editor's Note: Apologies for this being so late. The author missed the meeting because of not wanting to share a bad cold, and it took a while to get a recording. This is part 1 of a series of articles.]

After the reading of the mission, vision and values by various Board of Trustee members, Chair Dr. Fred Fox wished the board, the hospital staff and the general community Happy Holidays.

During recognitions, the board honored Marsha Lopez for her 45 years of service in the operating room. She was not present to receive the award.

For the consent agenda, Fox read off the various items for consideration. They included:

• Board meeting minutes for Nov. 15, 2023;
• A practitioner employment agreement with Lindsay Jobe, MD;
• An amendment to a professional services agreement for pediatric coverage to Gregory Koury, MD;
• The reimbursement solution agreement with Cardinal Health/Atrix Elements and Ally;
• A service coverage agreement for autoclaves and and instrument washer with Steris Corporation;
• A capital purchase of orthopedic power tools of Stryker System 9 "large" and Stryker System 9 "Sabo";
• The GRMC employee group health and wellness agreement with Blue Cross/Blue Shield through Epic Agency;
• To maintain the Level IV Trauma Center designation;
• An agreement to acquire services and software for the 340B program administration;
• A turnkey proposal to acquire heating-ventilation-air conditioning-humidification for two operating rooms;
• An amendment to the emergency room coverage services agreement with Emergency Staffing Solutions, Inc. for a named (who was not named) trauma medical director;
• The annual CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) cost report for fiscal years 2024;
• The credentialing and privileging by proxy policy draft; and
• The corporate compliance program policy draft.

Board members approved the list.

With no old business or new business, the members heard reports and updates.

The next article will begin with education for the board on the risk and compliance issues and policies of the hospital.