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PMC facing an array of challenges |
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Wednesday, 02 July 2008 |
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Page 1 of 2 By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) managed to convince two more Pondera Medical Center employees to vote yes to a union than vote no.
Interim CEO at the hospital, Rick Palagi tells the I-O, “At some time in the future, maybe as quick as in two to three months, negotiations between the union and the PMC will begin.”
He told board members at a trustee meeting on Thursday, “You are allowed to talk to the employees.”
He also noted that the hospital now has some financial and operational challenges.
Among those are two new board members. Pondera County Commissioners appointed Bernard Ries to a trustee position when board member Buck Traxler’s term expired in June.
And, effective immediately, with his time on the board up, chairman Byron Bokma submitted his resignation. Commissioners appointed Hank Zomer to replace Bokma.
On the hospital side, Laura Elliott, the Human Resource Director has submitted her resignation and will be moving to Wyoming to a bigger hospital.
She told the I-O on Monday, “I’m sorry to be leaving Conrad, but this is a challenging career move. I’ll certainly miss the all the people at the PMC and working closely with the board of directors.”
Elliott has been with the PMC for over two years and her resignation is effective July 18.
The PMC has had to repay Medicare $311,153 for inpatient, swing bed and outpatient and clinic costs.
Charges at the hospital increased by 19 percent and costs increased by 12 percent. With charges going up more than costs, the PMC was overpaid by Medicare and had to repay that amount (above).
Another operational problem is that the PMC is unable to use their new boiler.
Evidently the installation was not according to the blue prints. Mack Simpson, CFO, noted at the last board meeting, “An equalizer was installed too high on the a header. This problem leads to (what is called) flashover and water gets into the header.”
The contracting company is Quality Plumbing and Heating from Great Falls. They are being talked to correct the problem and it shouldn’t cost the PMC any money.
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