MEEKER | The Eastern Rio Blanco County Health Service District board held its monthly meeting last week in the boardroom at Pioneers Medical Center. All board members were present, joined by a room filled with community members.
Before the public comment period, board members shared updates. Member Kim Tedford noted she had recently met with two individuals—one from Meeker and another from a neighboring community.
“They were both pleased with the care they received at PMC, and they appreciated the facility along with their medical care.”
Tedford was the only board member to comment before the meeting moved into the public comment period.
Janet Peterson, attending via Zoom on behalf of her daughter, Jill Adcock, raised concerns about harassment and bullying against Adcock, who serves as the hospital’s HR director.
“In her position, she must ensure that hospital policies and procedures are followed. Because of this, she has been subjected to personal attacks on social media and has been threatened at work by unhappy employees,” Peterson said.
“She doesn’t feel safe going out in the community anymore. That is no way to live,” she continued, suggesting that security at the hospital could help staff feel safer.
Annie Long expressed frustration over the February board meeting, stating that employees are frequently approached at community events about hospital matters.
“That’s why my mom and I got involved, but she will never come back again because of what went on in this room,” Long said. “We are a community, and that attack—whether you agree with Wendy or not—that’s not who we are.”
Christy Whitney, who has worked in healthcare for 43 years, emphasized the challenges faced by rural hospitals, noting that a third of rural hospitals nationwide are at risk of closure. “I feel we’re so fortunate to have the hospital that we have,” Whitney said. “There will always be problems, but we need to take stock of where we are. One of the things that has happened in the last few years is the financial stability of this hospital.”
Cindy Rholl, a longtime employee, voiced support for PMC while acknowledging that workplace conflicts exist. “Jill is not the only one that has been threatened. Children of employees have been accosted. I’ve heard of two because of this. You’re right Miss Annie this community does not do that,” Rholl stated. “This facility is crucial to our community, and employees should be able to have a voice,” Rholl said. “They should not be scared, but also, in favor, they are scared because they don’t want to be harassed. So yes, there’s two sides at this point and it’s so sad it breaks my heart that we’re even here,” Rholl continued.
After the public comment period, Christy Atwood provided an update on the clinic, announcing the transition of the visiting nurse program into the rural health center. A new nurse has been hired, increasing the clinic’s capacity to accept referrals. The clinic now averages 115-120 patient visits per month. Additionally, the hiring of a licensed clinical counselor specializing in children’s behavioral health has expanded in-house behavioral health services to five days a week.
After hearing the clinic updates board member Wade Bradfield raised concerns about patients being required to pay upfront before receiving care. He brought up how one of Wendy Gutierrez’s employees had to come up with $150 before being seen, also mentioning he had to come pay up front before one of his employees could be seen as well. Bradfield noted that neighboring hospitals operate differently.
“I called Rangely, they don’t do it that way. Craig doesn’t do it that way. Garfield doesn’t do it that way,” Bradfield said. “The last I heard is John is working on restructuring our fee schedule in the clinic. Is that happening or what’s going on with that?”
Chief Financial Officer John Nadone responded, stating that a fee structure review is underway to align PMC’s practices with regional standards.
Bradfield said in his experience, having to provide payment before services are received is a “Catch-22.”
Board President Mark Schryver presented the February financial report. The hospital saw a net income of $6,000 last month but reported a year-to-date loss of $168,000. Gross patient revenue was 3% below budget, while net patient revenue was 2% below budget.
Following the financial report, the board entered an executive session to discuss legal counsel matters, personnel issues, and confidential documents. The next board meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2025, at PMC.