The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

It’s time for the tea at BSMC. What a busy couple of months down at the Medical Center! Among normal operations in the kitchen, Johnson Controls was in the building last week to finish installing the sprinkler heads in the new dry storage and walk-in cooler areas. That was the last of the items on the to-do list so the kitchen remodel is officially complete! Progress on the installation of the new generator has been less successful. Northwestern Energy pushed back the date on getting the new 2-inch gas line installed to fuel the machine. Hopefully, by mid-December, that will be done and then the generator can be connected to the new transfer switch. After that, some testing will need to take place and then, finally, it can be brought online!

The weather has been favorable, not only for the sake of not needing the bigger generator, but also for progress on the new clinic building. The lack of snow and above freezing temperatures has allowed for the pouring of the sidewalks, and the paving of the parking areas. The entry ramps and stairs were installed last week. On the interior of the building, the crew has been able to make the repairs needed after the process of transporting, storing, and moving the modular units into place. There was a wall damaged in the process, some ceiling tiles that were stained/damaged, and some general scuffs on the floors and walls from the process that have all been repaired. Next summer, the Medical Center will paint the exterior of the building, and add some trees/shrubs where needed to restore the curb appeal after construction is complete.

The Annual Board Meeting also took place last Thursday. There were 31 people present at the meeting, including the current Board and team from Cypress. CEO, Ron Wiens offered his report. Recognizing generous donors in the community that are helping to make these improvements a reality. Especially, Lance Peterson and Michelle Kaufman and family for donating the lot where the new clinic building now sits and Louis Beirwagen for donating funds for upcoming facility improvements. Upcoming projects will include the clinic space remodel and installation of the CT machine, removing two walls in the dining room area to create more space, replacing the hand railings, and removing the carpet on the walls in the patient room hallways. Other projects under consideration include updating the counters, sinks, bathrooms, and flooring of the patient rooms, and replacing all the windows and installing air conditioner units to the rooms. The facility is also considering upgrades to the HVAC system and replacing the nurse call light system in the near future. Strategic goals not only include completing those projects, but also obtaining funding and staff to get the equipment necessary to start a pain management service, adopting a new model to improve patient experience and organizational culture, provide leadership training to all Department leaders and providers, conduct a community needs assessment (be on the lookout for more details about how to get involved with that), and fully integrate new software to improve accountability, communication, and record keeping in the facility. The Medical Guild President Lisa Sipler offered her report, with the Rummage sale income surpassing previous years at over $10,000. The Guild does plan to donate monies to the dining room expansion. The Annual Financial Audit report will be presented at the December meeting as it is not complete at this time. The By Law Committee had no updates as the contracted attorney brought on to help improve and update our by-laws suggested a special meeting to discuss prior to voting. That meeting date will be announced after the new year. Finally, the nominating committee presented the candidates for the open seat on the Board of Directors. Dr. Karen Baumann, Ken Denning, and Harvey Keller were the candidates. 128 total votes were casted, 114 of them being absentee ballots. The spot will be held by Dr. Karen Baumann. Harvey, who has sat on the board since 2011 said, “It’s been a fun ride. It’s great to see more community involvement. I wish Karen and the Board success and cannot wait to see these projects come to fruition.” The officers will be voted on at the December meeting. That concluded the Annual Board Meeting. Thank you to all those who took the time to cast a vote, attend the meeting, and get involved with the happenings at the Big Sandy Medical Center. As Harvey said, it is great to see so much involvement. To maintain an independent facility, it will require community support.

Inside the facility, like everywhere else, staff are gearing up for Christmas. The holiday season is so special at BSMC. Starting at Halloween where the staff have a costume contest, judged by the Residents (Nursing staff won with “Old McDonald’s Farm” this year. “Sesame Street” and the “Price is Right” was also in the running), shortly after voting the kids are released from school and begin their trick-or-treating with the residents at BSMC. After Halloween, preparations begin for Thanksgiving. A Friendsgiving was hosted this year among staff and residents the week before the holiday, and families were invited to come have dinner with their loved ones on Thanksgiving Day. Now we’re deep into the Christmas season. The schedule of events will be posted to the Facebook page and announced in an article next week. If you or someone you know enjoys playing music or singing, we’d love for you to share your musical talents. Please contact Lisa Sipler for more information.

If your New Year’s goals are to improve your health, BSMC is still offering free Diabetic Screenings. You can also come to get lab work done without a doctor’s order, find more information on the website at http://www.bsmc.org. Now is also a great time to schedule your annual appointments and preventative care. We’re here to serve all your healthcare needs. As always, thank you for being the heart of BSMC.