CHAFFEE HOSPITAL GETS MANAGEMENT REPORT

CHAFFEE -- The Chaffee General Hospital Board of Trustees met Tuesday with two representatives of the management firm that took over the hospital earlier this month.

G. Douglas Atkinson, regional vice president of Brim & Associates' eastern division, told board members they must decide on what the hospital's role should be in serving Chaffee and surrounding towns.

"There are a number of directions the hospital could take," Atkinson said. "We must determine what the community wants and needs."

He said the hospital will most likely continue to specialize in emergency care, ambulance service, and another service "yet to be defined," rather than become a full-service hospital.

A fiscal consultant for the firm, Jack Schisel, said Brim & Associates specializes in managing small, rural hospitals. They currently manage 78 such hospitals located across the country.

"A number of these hospitals are in more serious condition than Chaffee General Hospital," Chase said.

Chaffee General entered into a six-month management agreement with the Portland, Ore.-based firm in early January. The agreement could become permanent.

Representatives of the firm will seek out alternate sources of funding for the hospital, including bank loans and government loans and grants.

Atkinson urged board members to plan to attend regional and national retreats, where they would meet with hospital board members from hospitals managed by Brim & Associates.

He said running a hospital is much like running a small community, except "the revenues and expenses are almost backwards."

But, Atkinson stressed it is not the role of the board to be involved in day-to-day operations of the hospital. "The board's job is to serve as a reflection of community attitudes," he said.

Atkinson urged board members that when making decisions, to "rely on you own sense of judgment."

In other business, three people were appointed to board positions, bringing the total number of board members to eight. Acting Board President Randy Dooley said four additional board members are needed.

He said he has asked city officials in neighboring Scott City and Oran to try to encourage someone from each of those towns to seek a position on the board.

Dooley said ideally, the board would also include members who reside in Delta and Advance.

Appointed Tuesday were Karen Rhyne of Chaffee, Lindy Duncan of Chaffee, and Bill Van Pelt of Cape Girardeau. Van Pelt is administrator of the Chaffee Nursing Center.

Dooley said the board plans to meet again before the end of the month to hopefully appoint several additional members and to restructure the executive committee.