Haxtun Health receives full accreditation following recent survey

A Monday night, Dec. 5 meeting of the Haxtun Health Board of Directors drew a total of two members present in person. Chairman Kent Bamford attended the meeting via Zoom and Vice Chairman Rod Salvador via phone while Jeri Soens and Rebecca Ensminger sat around the table in the meeting room of the Extended Care Unit along with members of the administrative team. The Board approved next year’s budget while also hearing an in-depth report on the recent trauma survey conducted at the facility in November. Haxtun Health recently received full accreditation as a Designated Level IV Trauma Center.

At the start of the monthly December meeting, Chief Financial Officer Joleen Stroyek pointed out several items of interest in the proposed 2023 budget, first noting that Haxtun Health hopes to fill 11 vacancies of current open positions as well as two new positions being created. Stroyek said next year’s budget also includes an increase in health insurance so Haxtun Health can offer free medical insurance for employees. That benefit, she added, is an item of interest that came from strategic planning and the Haxtun Way committee meetings with staff members. Hopes are it will be an added recruitment tool as it has hindered hiring staff in the past.

Following budget discussions, board members approved a resolution to adopt the budget as well as others to appropriate sums of money and to set mill levies.

Chief Executive Officer Dewane Pace gave a full report on a recent survey with the State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. He said on a snowy, icy day in November, with multiple motor vehicle crashes that resulted in a very busy emergency room, Haxtun Health was surveyed by the licensing and accrediting department.

“It’s not every day that our emergency rooms are that busy and what are the odds that we would host surveyors from the State at the same time,” Trauma Coordinator Jessie Cochran added.

Pace said that in spite of the busy emergency room the survey went forward and Haxtun Health received full accreditation as a designated level IV trauma Center.

“During this onsite survey, the team from the State reviewed processes, the facility, the staff and reviewed all of the trauma cases from the prior year,” said Pace. “The survey team praised the efforts of Cochran, Trauma Nurse Coordinator, Dr. Amy Seinfeld, Trauma Director and Director of Emergency Medical Services, and many others who worked so hard to show the State surveyors what a great organization Haxtun Health is and what a great job the hospital does taking care of not just trauma patients, but all patients.”

Pace said surveyors were impressed with the many upgrades to the facility and the community outreach by the team at Haxtun Health. He said the lead surveyor commented on the team at Haxtun Health and their ability to care of the community with great care.

“We believe that Haxtun Health provides great care and it is nice to have this validation of the quality care we provide,” said Pace. “While we have a lot of high-tech and advanced tools at the hospital, it is really the great team that make us a great place to receive care.”

Also in his report, Pace touched on providers along with clinic happenings in Haxtun and Fleming. He said Reba Bean, Physician’s Assistant, is seeing patients every Monday in the Fleming Clinic and is also in Haxtun one weekend a month. Pace said her schedule is filling up fast.

Additionally, the CEO said counseling happens once per week at the Fleming Clinic. “The counseling schedule is full and as we look to add additional days and expand this service, both in Fleming and Haxtun, we are pleased to announce that we will be adding a full-time counselor in January to better meet the needs of our community.”

Pace also announced that Dr. Christopher Long will be joining the medical staff team at Haxtun Health. He said Long will be on a part-time or as-needed basis as he currently practices at Saint Anthony North Family Medicine in Westminster and will be coming to Haxtun to see patients primarily on weekends.

Other reports reviewed at the meeting included a written report from Chief Nursing Officer Lea White. White said that since the November board meeting, three staff members tested positive for COVID and one Extended Care Unit patient tested positive as well. It is the first case in the ECU since 2021. She said the patient who tested positive was a new admission.

White also touched on new numbers for the ambulance department. From Oct. 20 to Nov. 28 the ambulance was called out 19 times; up eight from the month prior. Of those calls, 10 went to Haxtun Health, one was a flight out, two were transferred to Medical Center of the Rockies, one to Poudre Valley Hospital and eight were refusals. Of those eight, three were part of vehicle accidents.