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Cleburne County Hospital Board seeks input from commissioners on outside management idea [The Anniston Star, Ala.](Anniston Star (AL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 18--HEFLIN -- The Cleburne County Hospital Board will send to county commissioners proposals from companies interested in managing the county nursing home. Board secretary Pam Richardson said Wednesday the board just wants to the commissioners to know what's going on as it explores hiring a management firm. The move will give the commissioners a chance to review the proposals and make recommendations. Board member Dan Hopkins said the resolution the board approved Tuesday asks that the commissioners and Chairman Ryan Robertson individually give their recommendations to the board before the next meeting on Oct. 16 so members can take them into consideration. The board plans to hear from the companies personally and vote on hiring one of them at the meeting, Hopkins said. Patrick Nolen, a member of the research committee that contacted six nursing home management firms about the board's desire to potentially hire a management firm, said the committee sent out packets to four interested companies and received proposals from three -- Centre-based Preferred Health Services, Gadsden-based Gadsden Health and Rehab and Northport Management Services from Tuscaloosa. Both Preferred Health Services and Northport have decades of experience managing nursing homes for other owners, Nolen said. Gadsden Health has managed its own nursing home for 40 years, he added. "Each management company is either a four- or five-star facility," Nolen said Wednesday. "We are a two-star." Nolen worries that the bad inspections in May and June citing a total of 14 violations and triggering a $144,000 fine may push the facility to a one-star, he said. He said he believes hiring a management company would be the best option to improve and expand the nursing home. Not all the board members agree. Clarence Duckworth voted against the resolution because he thinks hiring a management company is a waste of money. He said the nursing home administrator has made some mistakes, but "I don't think you should kick somebody when they make a mistake." "I have never seen anything good come from a management company," Duckworth said. Board member Kay Allen, who also served on the research committee, agreed with Duckworth. "I oppose any form of management company," Allen said. This will be Allen's last vote on the board, however. Allen resigned her seat for personal reasons, she said. Her resignation will be effective on the appointment of a replacement, which she expects will happen at the County Commission meeting on Monday. Board member Sandy Weston also voted against the resolution. Board members Richardson, Nolen, Hopkins and Coker Cleveland voted for it. In other business the board members: --Heard from Cleveland that he would not be able to serve as chairman of the board. As vice chair, he was set to take over as chairman after Weston resigned as chair in September. Cleveland will continue as vice chair and the board will elect a new chairman at their next meeting, Richardson said. -- Appointed Pat Skinner as secretary/treasurer of the board to replace Richardson. Richardson said the appointment would allow her to be more active in board discussions. Skinner will be paid $10 per hour for up to five hours for her work each week. -- Approved loaning the nursing home $144,000 to pay its fines for the deficiencies on a June inspection triggered by a complaint. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services fined the nursing home because the deficiencies caused "immediate jeopardy" to the patient, who had to be readmitted to the hospital after recovering from hip surgery in the nursing home. The deficiencies were later downgraded and in August, the nursing home came back into compliance with state and federal standards. -- Voted 3-4 against a measure to remove Sandy Weston as a registered signer of board checks, with members Beverly Owen, Weston, Allen and Duckworth voting no. -- Changed the meeting night to the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. ___ (c)2014 The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.) Visit The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.) at www.annistonstar.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |