7/24/10 — The Block Island Health Services Board of Directors discussed several options for a retreat intended to examine governance, finances and board responsibilities.

Medical Center Executive Director Monty Stover mentioned his conversations with Jane Hayward, CEO of the Rhode Island Health Center Associations, who had offered to develop a training session for board members.

However, Kay Lewis described a session she, Betty Lang and Judy Tierney had attended directed to board responsibility that “wasn’t all that relevant to us.”

She asked Stover, “How much of it would be directed at the type of center we’re not and cannot be?” Lewis felt the main purpose of such a retreat would be evaluation of sustainable models, beginning with the center’s current model, considering alternatives and looking into potential resources. “We could be considered a rural health center, or are there other sources of funding? Before the retreat we need to determine what we are. What’s our mission? What do we do? How do we describe ourselves? Right now, we are an urgent care facility, licensed by Rhode Island,” Lewis said.

Lewis reported that she and Cindy Baute had spoken with Pamela Burns, a full-time consultant for the National Community Health Association. They were impressed with “the breadth of her knowledge” and her extensive background on rural health centers and new funding legislation.

Lang thought that Burns would bring an independent perspective, which Steve Davidson agreed would be helpful. The value of the session, he believed, would be “to have a chance to examine issues without having to make a decision.”

Lewis siad the board might put together financial statements for five years of expenditures, revenue, volume, etc. Davidson explained that the Finance Committee was developing a claims analysis, close to completion, which would make use of the number of patient visits, services provided, charges, as well as some limited clinical analysis. In the latter area, he said they would select some common diagnosis, indicating what services were provided to patients. These analyses would be absolutely anonymous.

In the end, the board agreed to have Burns speak at a retreat on September 25, with October 2 as a rain date. George Henault offered his home as the site.

Financial review

The first six months of the fiscal year, Stover said that patient visits were up 106 (6.5 percent), billed charges were up approximately $10,000 (6.8 percent) and cash transactions were up approximately $8,000 (6.8 percent).

“We’re in a little better situation this year than last year at this time,” Stover said. Reminding the board that past president Millie McGinnes began work with Town Planner Jane Weidman to create a Medical Center Zone, current president Pam Hinthorn said, “It would be appropriate for us to give the town directions to do so.” Stover explained that the zoning change would give the center flexibility in building a doctor’s house or other facilities. “It would make it easier for us to build,” he said. The board approved proposing a zoning amendment to the town.

Electronic fan clubs

“We’ve begun to set up a fan page for the Medical Center on Facebook,” said Tierney on behalf of the Communications Committee.

Lang explained that it was “a new way of communicating” and many businesses and agencies were engaged in it.

Pattie Murphy said Facebook could be used for public announcements, e.g., on Lyme disease, as well as for publishing the center’s calendar. Stover thought there needed to be guidelines and he was interested in how other medical centers were using social media.

Electronic medical records

Stover noted that federal funds were available to facilitate the transition to electronic record keeping, and said he’d been having discussions with a company.

“Our understanding,” he said, “is that $18,000 would be available to each physician in 2011 if the system developed is determined to have ‘meaningful use.’ We’re looking at it closely for 2011.”

Stover added the center does have a computerized electronic practice management system currently in operation. Davidson cautioned that if not taken advantage of, the funds might be lost in the future.

Miscellany

Lewis said it was important to mount the summer annual membership drive and suggested targeting specific areas in seeking donations, such as improving energy efficiency within the center. She added she saw no reason why membership should not be tax-deductible. Tierney and Lang said they were working on the idea of holding a wine and cheese get-together as a thank you for past donors, but were still clarifying the details of the event. Stover announced that Dr. David Gifford, director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, would be on island on September 20 to meet with the Lyme Committee. An August 21 meeting with Dr. Alvin Goodman, chair of the Physicians Advisory Committee, was also being planned.

Nurse Linda Closter said that there were two medical interns working at the Medical Center for the last three weeks, who would remain for one more week. Stover added that there was a summer intern assisting him for three days a week as well.