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

The July meeting of the Haxtun Hospital Board of Directors brought on a slew of staff reports from those on the organization’s administrative team. The meeting, which lasted just under two hours, featured information from Chief Executive Officer Dewane Pace, Chief Financial Officer Joleen Stroyek, Chief Nursing Officer Lea White, Chief Community Relations Officer Julia Biesemeier and Chief Operations Officer Andrew Gonzales.

In her statistics summary to board members, Stroyek said the in-patient average daily census came in at .7 or 22 total patient days. That number was flat compared to the budget for the month and negative four percent under budget year-to-date. Swing bed, the CFO said, had a daily count of 1.3 or 38 total patient days. That number is 37 percent under budget for the month. As for the Extended Care Unit, the ADC came in at 18.7, a flat comparison to the budget for the month and eight percent under budget year-to-date.

The Haxtun Clinic had a total of 323 visits of the month of June. That number is up 26 percent from the budget. The Fleming Clinic registered a total 66 visits. Clinic visits in Fleming are up 102 percent year-to-date.

Ancillary visits totaled 5,450 for the month of June and 35,614 for the year. Stroyek said that number is eight percent over budget year-to-date and four percent over this time last year.

White, the Chief Nursing Officer, said Haxtun Health currently has four full-time registered nursing openings including three night shift and one day shift. She said the organization is also seeking a medical assistant for coverage for Morgan Budde, Physician Assistant, who is expected to begin seeing patients in Haxtun soon.

Another provider, locum Dr. Emily LaCount is expected to begin seeing patients in Haxtun the first week of August. She will cover clinic and call several days a month as she is available.

Chief Operating Officer Gonzalez said the pharmacy made 435 deliveries to patients in the second quarter. He added that pharmacy prescription volume is increasing and he is seeing new patients in the community choose the local pharmacy by transferring care.

Gonzalez also noted that Rachel Fryrear provided care to 440 patients in the first six months of launching Behavioral Health Services at Haxtun Health.

In his brief report, Chief of Staff Ben Stephenson said that it has been several months since Haxtun Health has seen a positive COVID case. Colorado is no longer posting facility outbreak data.

Biesemeier, the Chief Community Relations Officer, said the recent Healthbeat hit mailboxes this month via electronic format as well as a every door direct mail postcard. The postcards have a link on the back to the online newsletter. Biesemeier said so far the newsletter has 283 reads.

Internally, she has been working on the Haxtun Way committee employee satisfaction survey.

“This has proven to be a great assessment tool that helps guide and direct the committee and administration on decisions for the employee,” Biesemeier said. “We had just over 60 open and honest responses this year and are currently reviewing and compiling the data.”

At the end of the meeting, Pace, the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, gave an overview of the strategic plan.

“The strategic plan for Haxtun Health has been developed by the governing board of directors to ensure that high-quality, comprehensive healthcare for the community of Haxtun is maintained. The leadership team utilizes the strategic plan to constantly improve what we do and put the right resources in the right places,” he said.

The Strategic plan was updated in 2023 with three sections: short-term goals, mid-term goals and long-term goals.

“We are currently working on the short-term goals with a constant eye on the future mid- and long-term goals. Part of the current strategic plan is to provide care you can count on, engage the community and cultivate wellness, improve employee retention and tell our story,” said Pace.

There was no new or unfinished business and therefore the July meeting concluded at the end of reports.