NOTE:
A previous version of this story reported that PMC CEO Liz Sellers stated Providence Recovery Services in Craig is closing its doors. Ms. Sellers would like to issue the following correction to last week’s story covering the PMC Board of Director’s meeting:
“During my update at last week’s Board of Directors meeting, I mentioned that Providence Recovery Services in Craig was closing its doors. I made this statement after receiving information from multiple sources I believed to be trustworthy, and I regret that I did not communicate with Dr. Berry before commenting. Since our board meeting, I have connected with Dr. Berry, and Providence Recovery Services is not closing. Dr. Berry and I remain committed to the health and well-being of patients in our communities.”
MEEKER | Pioneers Medical Center CEO Liz Sellers told the hospital district’s board of directors this week that ongoing construction is in its final phase, despite some challenges. “We’ve had some challenges with people not having enough to do and causing a disruption in the organization,” Sellers stated, “so we’re going to be adding about $25,000 to $30,000 worth of cameras to our campus.”
Sellers said the cameras will enhance hallway monitoring and offer better security for entrance areas and places where medications are kept.
Sellers also updated the board about partnerships with Physical PT out of Junction for post-op patients, and a physical therapy group in the Roaring Fork Valley who she said recently approached PMC about establishing a similar arrangement. “We’ve actually picked up quite a few patients from the Aspen area,” Sellers said.
COVID POLICY
Dr. Kellie Turner said the hospital comes out of outbreak status this week and noted that mask and covid policies would likely see amendments soon, noting, “it will be based more on symptoms” and that in the future masks will only be required for everyone if the hospital enters “red” status. Other changes will include less testing for unvaccinated staff members. “We’ve had kind of a policy where if you’re unvaccinated, you have to get tested twice a week. And they’ve kind of gotten away from that,” said Turner in reference to state level covid safety requirements for healthcare workers.
Turner also commented on the ongoing struggle to keep various departments fully staffed, alluding to a shortage of healthcare workers in general, “but I think that’s kind of a global challenge in healthcare right now, a lot of people burned out and aren’t coming back.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved credentials for two doctors who are primarily providing telehealth services particularly for treating mental health patients. ”More recently, I had a situation where there was no bed, but I could do a telehealth visit with a psychiatrist,” said Turner, noting that while it’s not a perfect system, it provides a good option for recommendations on how to medicate patients until a bed can be found at a behavioral health center.
The board entered executive session at the end of their regular meeting but did not state what the subject of the sessions was, in violation of Colorado’s Open Meeting Law. According to the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, “the ‘particular matter’ to be discussed must be announced to the public with as much specificity as possible without compromising the reason for the executive session. The legal basis (statutory provision) for the executive session must be publicly announced as well, prior to the public body voting in public to go into executive session.”
By LUCAS TURNER | [email protected]om
