209 Moller Avenue Sitka, Alaska 99835 (907) 747-3241 - City and ...

209 Moller Avenue
Sitka, Alaska 99835
(907) 747-3241
MINUTES: HOSPITAL BOARD MEETING
Regular Session: Thursday, November 20, 2008
Board Attendance: Patricia Autrey, Thomas Brown, Pauline Fredrickson, Jeffrey Johnston, Gwen
Lazzarini, Daniel Pratt, and Roger Golub, MD, Medical Liaison. Carroll Fader and Assembly Liaison
Nancy Cavanaugh were absent.
Staff & Others: Lee Bennett, Bill Spivey, Joanne Clyde, Angela McGraw, Kerry MacLane, Cynthia
Pratt, Kat Richards, Elizabeth Faulkner, Dr. Marilyn Coruzzi, Ronda Anderson, Lindsey Anderson,
Kathy Inman, Micki Schwantes, Tina Johnson, Kay Turner, Dr. Kimberly Merris, Cynthia Dennis, Scott
Snelson, and Judy Gangle.
1. Convene: Board President Jeffrey Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll call
established that six Board members were present. Meeting location is Harrigan Centennial Hall.
2. Changes to Agenda: None.
3. Minutes: Moved/seconded by Fredrickson/Brown to approve the minutes of the October 23,
2008, regular session Board meeting. Motion carried, 6-0.
4. Correspondence: None.
5. Persons to be Heard: None.
6. Presentations: None.
7. Unfinished and Continuing Business:
A. CEO Succession: President Jeffrey Johnston noted that the Hospital Board had a meeting
with the City Assembly prior to this meeting. The Board gave the Assembly an update on
the current status of the hospital including CEO hiring plan, staffing issues, and program
issues.
B. Community Greenhouse: Kerry MacLane from the Sitka Local Foods Network noted that
the idea of the Community Greenhouse was generated at the 2 nd Annual Health Summit.
MacLane is requesting support from the Board for the grant application. Moved/seconded
by Fredrickson/Lazzarini to give support for the grant application for $30,000 for a
feasibility study for heating the greenhouse and hospital with wood chips. Motion
carried, 6-0. MacLane noted that the next step is a presentation to the Assembly and a
request for their support. Fredrickson asked the staff members present how they feel about
the potential of a greenhouse on the hospital slab. Several issues were noted including
parking, composting, liability, air quality, extra man hours to utilize and maintain the heat
source, and the loss of the hazmat/decon location. MacLane noted that these issues will
be addressed in the feasibility study and that completing the study does not rule out other
possible locations. Joanne Clyde said that a fence will be erected on the slab in the next
week or two for safety purposes, but does not indicate opposition of the greenhouse.
Moved/seconded by Johnston/Lazzarini to support the request to begin planning
using the hospital slab for a community greenhouse. Motion carried, 4-2.
C. Update on meetings with SEARHC: Lee Bennett noted that two meetings have been held
between Sitka Community Hospital and SEARHC Administration recently. From the
meeting minutes of 9/19/08 taken by SEARHC, "Roald [Helgesen] informed SCH that the
Executive Management Team at SEARHC had discussed providing OB, Surgical,
Radiology, and ER coverage services at SCH and determined that due to our ongoing

SCH Board Minutes, November 20, 2008
Page 2 of 3
systems transformation, staff was stretched and it would not be possible at this time to
provide services outside of MEH [Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital], but that this could be revisited
in 12 months. Roald stressed the capacity within MEH is not the issue, but moving services
outside of MEH is not possible at this time." Board President Johnston reiterated that the
Hospital Board has directed Lee Bennett and Hospital Administration to move ahead with
the current strategic plan. Bennett has been directed by the Board to recruit as needed,
continue to provide current services, and maintain a full service hospital.
D. Consent agenda discussion: A consent agenda will be used at the December Board
meeting.
8. Staff Reports:
A. Administrative Team Report: Lee Bennett reported that representatives from Peace Health
were on site November 13 for about 5 hours for a cursory visit. Peace Health is interested
in another visit and possibly working with Sitka Community Hospital. Johnston also gave
an update on his meeting with Providence Health in Anchorage last week. Providence was
very gracious and helpful but ultimately decided that working with Sitka Community
Hospital would not be a good fit for them at this time due to the proximity of Mt.
Edgecumbe Hospital, the distance from Providence, and current referral patterns. • A
Phase I Denali Grant application has been submitted for replacing patient monitoring
systems and a remodel of the nurse's station. The total project estimate is $324,000, with
$166,000 being requested from Denali and $166,000 being request from the City of Sitka.
• A new van for Long Term Care has been purchased.
B. Long Term Care Administrative Report: Phil Welsh submitted a written Long Term Care
report which was included in the Board packets. • The current LTC census is 13.
C. Financial Report: Lee Bennett presented the financial report. • October generated a Net
Patient Service Revenue of $1,378,298 compared to $1,461,150 budgeted. • The Hospital
generated a Net Income of $86,033 compared to a budgeted Net Income of $109,902.
D. Quality Committee Report: Meeting minutes were provided in the Board packets. Lee
Bennett noted that Quality Committee meetings will be held at 5:00 pm to allow for
physician involvement.
9. Board & Liaison Reports:
A. Board President's Report: Johnston thanked Joanne Clyde for her support of the UAS
Nursing students. • Johnston also thanked Dr. Golub for his Letter to the Editor in the
newspaper recently.
B. Medical Staff Report & Recommendations: Moved/seconded by Fredrickson/Lazzarini
to approve the revision of Medical Staff Bylaw Article IV, Section 2 #6 to add: "Any
provider that is not on site and with no direct patient care, the PPD requirement is
waived". Motion carried, 6-0.
Moved/seconded by Fredrickson/Pratt to accept the medical staff recommendations
from their meeting of 11/19/08. Motion carried, 6-0. Recommendations were as follows:
Nathan J. Kasukonis, DO - Resident through Sitka Medical Center 11/17/08-12/13/08
Reappointments for 1/1/09-12/31/2010 for the following:
Active: Elliot Bruhl, MD; and the following contingent upon AK license renewal: Debra
Brushafer, MD; Graham T. Chelius, MD; Marilyn Coruzzi, MD; Robert C. Hunter, MD.
Courtesy: contingent upon AK license renewal: Cary S. Keller, MD; Donald R. Lehmann,
MD; John Raster, MD; John Totten, MD.