The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Three members of the Haxtun Health administrative team presented to the Board of Directors in a late August meeting. The trio talked about The Haxtun Way, a new movement within the facility, and the momentum carrying forward within Haxtun Health to reach a next level of greatness.

Executive Director of Ancillary Andrew Gonzales, Dr. Amy Seinfeld and Chief Community Relations Officer Julia Biesemeier spoke to board members on The Haxtun Way giving information about who they are, the purpose and reasoning behind the new movement. Additionally, Chief Executive Officer Dewane Pace spent time on the subject in his report to the Board as well.

“Haxtun is a great place to be. The quality of life is wonderful, no crowds, no crime, a strong sense of community and good people,” Pace said in the Aug. 22 meeting. “Haxtun Health is a good hospital and provides excellent care.”

Pace went on to say that while the care provided in Haxtun is good, the administrative team in Haxtun is always looking to go from good to great. The best way to do that, he said, is to ask the administrative team themselves what they would like for Haxtun Health by asking questions regarding what is being done right, what needs to change, what could be added and what Haxtun Health stands for.

“We have done just that,” Pace said. “We put together a team of employees to conduct a survey and collect feedback. Using the feedback, the team then developed The Haxtun Way. This is a differentiator for us and guarantees ‘Care you can count on.’ This is what the team wants Haxtun Health to be and is a culture developed by and for our team, patients and community. I hope that you will notice a difference in the care you receive here in Haxtun.”

Also in his report, later in the meeting, Pace touched on the addition of new staff and a recent renovation of the chapel. Thanks to a generous donor, he said, Haxtun Health has a newly renovated chapel, complete with new walls, ceiling, floors, stained glass window, pews and lectern.

“The chapel is for use by patients, family, visitors and staff as a quiet sanctuary for prayer, meditation and relaxation.”

He said Haxtun Health is in the process of planning an official dedication of the space next month but the chapel is open for use now.

Additionally, he said Haxtun Health recently added Rebecca Bean to the staff. Bean is a physician assistant who recently relocated to Fleming. Reba, as she prefers to be called, is seeing patients in both Haxtun and Fleming.

In the financial report, Chief Financial Officer Joleen Stroyek presented the operating results overview of the period ending July 31. She said the average daily census of the ambulatory care unit was 0.6 for the month, 36 percent under budget. She said the average daily census for the swing bed was two, which was 13 percent under budget for the month. The ECU average daily census was 19.2, flat compared to the budgeted amount.

Stroyek added that clinic visits totaled 454 for July this year and ancillary visits came in at 4,792 for the month.

“The Total Operating Expenses were 14 percent under budget. Year-to-date Gross Patient Revenue as of July 31 was $9,328,000 or 14 percent under budget. YTD Net Income is $966,000,” Stroyek’s report said.

In her Chief Nursing Officer report, Lea White told board members that since the last monthly meeting, Haxtun’s ambulance was dispatched to 17 calls. That number is from July 25 to Aug. 17. That number is up nine from the month before.

Of those calls, she said six were transferred to Haxtun Health, one was transferred to Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke and three refused transport. Additionally, there were seven interfacility transfers; four to the Medical Center of the Rockies, one to Northern Colorado Medical Center, one to Poudre Valley Hospital and one to Sterling Regional Med Center for an appointment.

In his portion of the board meeting, Gonzales said that pharmacy in Haxtun Health delivered 131 orders to the community throughout the month of July. He also noted that the Haxtun and Fleming clinics conducted 98 sports physicals.

In addition to a number of medical staff names presented for credentialing, Chief of Staff Dr. Ben Stephenson touched on COVID numbers and updates in education for staff members.

Stephenson said that over the past few weeks, COVID numbers have decreased in Colorado. Haxtun Health in particular, White added, has not had any COVID hospitalizations over the past month. Stephenson said Haxtun Health is still offering COVID vaccine boosters, which still offer some protection against hospitalization, he said.

Over the last month, the local Doctor also noted that medical staff attended a training about trauma fracture and splinting.

Towards the end of the monthly meeting, Biesemeier gave her report, noting that the Healthy Student, Happy Teacher campaign is still ongoing through the end of August. She said preliminary results from the campaign are 77 well child checks resulting in $770 back to area teachers for classroom use.

“This has been a successful inaugural program that we would like to continue in the future,” she said. “Funds will be distributed to teachers at the conclusion of the campaign in September.”