Rebecca Ensminger takes oath of office

Haxtun Health Board of Directors swore in one new member and held board officer elections during a regular, Monday night meeting in late June. Last month, Jeri Soens and Jeff Firme were sworn into office following election season this spring. A third, Rebecca Ensminger, took her oath of office in June as she was not present during the May meeting when Soens and Firme took theirs.

Following the final oath of office to complete the board of directors slate, members voted to elect officers; turns out, all officers remained the same. Kent Bamford was elected Chairman and Rod Salvador will again serve as Vice Chairman while Firme fills the role of Treasurer/Secretary.

After officers took their respective seats at the table, the Board of Directors moved onto reports from departments heads at Haxtun Health. Both Chief Executive Officer Dewane Pace and Chief Community Relations Officer Julia Biesemeier reported on the recent health fair. Biesemeier said the event was a success reaching just shy of 100 participants this year.

“Many participants who came early to the fair had their results available to them in the portal within 45 minutes,” Biesemeier said. “The lab staff had all paper copy results processed and ready to take to the post office by 6 p.m. on Saturday. We anticipate an even bigger turnout for next year’s fair.”

Pace echoed Biesemeier’s sentiments with the fair’s success, noting that similar to health fairs held in the past, participants had the opportunity to have their blood drawn and choose from a list of four different test panels.

“The difference in the lab testing was two-fold; more tests offered and results were available the same day,” said Pace. “For participants that registered for the patient portal, they were able to see their results the same day. All lab results were mailed to participants and most had their results within a couple of days; better, faster, cheaper.”

Pace said participants also had the opportunity to be examined by one of two doctors present for skin cancer screening and to make follow-up appointment on-site.

Pace and Biesemeier also both gave updates on the current infrastructure and roof projects; both of which are nearing completion at the main campus.

Biesemeier said Haxtun Health is in the final stages of the infrastructure project, noting the concrete pour and flooring has been installed in the kitchen. She said the kitchen range was recently installed at Haxtun Health is waiting results of the inspection on the unit.

“The business office is getting some upgrades from the facilities department before they move back into their space,” she said. “There is currently a lengthy punch list of items that still need to be completed on the project.”

Pace said the new roof should be installed over the hospital the first week of July.

“We have already replaced the roof on the administration building this year as part of the grant-funded infrastructure project. The inside work for this project is close to completion and only slightly delayed as we take the opportunity for some painting, flooring and a refresh of areas that were temporarily closed down for the major infrastructure work,” said Pace.

In his Chief of Staff report, Dr. Ben Stephenson said he recently completed training for insertion of PICC lines. A PICC line, he said, is a peripherally inserted central catheter; a thin long tube that’s inserted through a vein in the arm that passes through to the larger veins near your heart. A PICC line gives doctors access to the larger central veins near the heart, generally used to give medications or liquid nutrition. A PICC line can help avoid the pain of frequent needle sticks and reduce the risk of irritation to the smaller veins in the arm.

“Patients can now have PICC lines put in right here in Haxtun,” he said.

In her Chief Nursing Officer report, Lea White said the Extended Care Unit census is currently at 20 with six people on the waiting list.

The Haxtun Health Board of Directors meet every fourth month of the month in the upstairs meeting room of the ECU.