By Mary Alice Murphy

During the brief portion of the meeting prior to a fairly short executive session and the pursuant addressing of agenda items, three members of the Gila Regional Medical Center Governing Board on April 27, 2023 recognized Julie Bighley for her 15 years of service, currently in the GRMC pharmacy. She was not present to receive the award.

Two members of the Governing Board, Chair Alicia Edwards and Member Eloy Medina had committed to volunteering for the Tour of the Gila's second stage the same day as the meeting, so they were not present.

Following the executive session, members approved the consent agenda of minutes for the March 23, 2023 board meeting, as well as noting that at the executive session on March 21, 2023, no action had been taken.

With no old business, GRMC Governing Board Vice Chair Billy Billings and Members Harry Browne and Chris Ponce began to address the new business items.

The first considered the recommendation from the Medical Staff Executive Committee (MEC) for provider credentialing. Members approved it.

The following item addresses multiple recommendations from the MEC and were considered as a single item, after listing them all of them.

They include:
a) Consideration to approve the Podiatry Delineation of Privileges (DOP)

b) Consideration to approve the Surgical First Assist Delineation of Privileges (DOP)

c) Consideration to approve the GRMC Medical Staff Bylaws (General Medical Staff Approval March 28, 2023)

d) Consideration to approve the GRMC Medical Staff Rules and Regulations (General Medical Staff Approval March 28, 2023)

e) Consideration to approve the Resident, Medical Student and APP Student Policy

f) Consideration to approve the Medical Staff Services – Reporting to Board of Trustees Policy

g) Consideration to approve the Disclosure of Unanticipated Outcomes Policy

h) Credentialing and Privileging of Medical Staff and Advanced Practice Practitioners Policy

i) Consideration to Allow Chief of Staff to be Credentials Committee Chair, as an exemption to Bylaws. [Billings said Dr. Colicia Meyerowitz is Chief of Staff, Dr. Norman Ratliff will serve as vice chair and Dr. Brian Robinson as secretary.]

j) Consideration to approve the IV Vancomycin Dosing Policy.

Billings asked what vancomycin is, and Interim Chief Executive Officer Margie Molitor said it is a very strong antibiotic used for infections, which cannot be treated with other antibiotics and "dosing is critical."

Governing Board members approved the list.

Item 3 in new business considered the professional services agreement—fee for time compensation—for Dr. Montaser F. Shaheen for medical oncology. Molitor explaned that Shaheen has been serving as a locums tenens. "This contract is good for him, for the hospital and for patients. He will also work with Dr. Durando to cover our medical oncology needs."

Members approved the agreement.

Chief Financial Officer Patrick Banks explained Item 4 as a medication prescribing software from DrFirst Inc. "The amendment and renewal help us work it into the Meditech expanse, which we have started, and we expect to go live in November." Members approved the agreement.

Banks also talked about the management liability insurance policy with Beazley Group through the broker Daniels Insurance Agency. "Beazley is our current insurance broker. It takes us to a consistent renewal date." Members approved the agreement.

The following, a resolution, would amend the master software and services agreement with 3M Health Information Systems Inc. for medical records coding. Banks said medical records coding is a highly compliance-driven exercise and "3M is a great resource, so we are renewing the contract to make sure our clinicians have the tools to do their jobs well." Governing Board members approved the resolution.

Item 7 considered a resolution for the second amendment to the license agreement with First DataBank Inc for medications database software. Banks said the amendment is to make sure the database is working with the Meditech system "as we do our updates to give the pharmacy and clinical staff everything they need." He explained that these resolutions are showing that "we are far along in the process, we have identified the vendor, but we're still in the process of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts in the contract, and the terms you have in your packet will not change, but we would like to move on them before your next board meeting." Members approved the resolution.

Another resolution addressed a support agreement renewal with Varian Medical Systems Inc. for the linear accelerator with WES7 software upgrade. Molitor said this is a 3-year renewal for the linear accelerator, which is used in the Cancer Center. Members approved the resolution.

The final resolution considered a capital purchase for a CT injector system with Bracco Diagnostics Inc. and Acist Medical Systems Inc. for hardware, software licenses and service agreement. Molitor said it was an upgrade in the system. "It will be a smart machine so that radiologists can see the images on the machine. It will improve patient quality."

Billings asked how the process works to come up with recommendations for capital purchases. "Does it come from the physician?"

Banks said: "We follow state procurement code as a step through the process. But it still means we can take ideas from physicians and clinicians. This was brought to us as an idea from our director of imaging. He had had conversations with the radiologists and his techs. We are looking for a way to invest in our facility in affordable ways, to invest in patient safety and in cost savings. This one is brought before you because the combination of the hardware, software licenses and service agreement bring it over the threshold where we need to bring it to you. We're excited about it because it's similar to what we were doing, but it will improve patient quality and safety. It's similar to separate maintenance agreements but in one package for a one-time spend." Members approved the capital purchase.

The next article will get into the reports and updates.