The Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting in mid August with the design/build team of the addition/renovation project to hear them present the specifics of the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) received via subcontractor input. The special meeting was announced Monday evening during the board’s regular meeting. Hospital CEO Dan Griess reported that he didn’t have details to share with the board, but was expecting something from the design/build team either later that evening or on Tuesday. He did inform the board that the cost of the project is coming in a little higher than the architects anticipated due to mechanical bids coming from non-regional instead of regional subcontractors. The distance involved and the fact that low unemployment in the Panhandle will require out of region subcontractors to bring workers with them has inflated the projected cost.

Mr. Griess said he would have an agenda ready prior to the meeting. The agenda would include the discussion of the GMP, which will include a base bid and five alternates as well. The Trustees will have two decisions to make at the meeting. The first decision would be to approve or disapprove going forward with the addition/renovation project. If approval is given, the Trustees would then have to decide to approve or disapprove the proposed financing model. If the financing model is approved, the hospital will then need approval from the Box Butte County Commissioners on the General Obligation Bonds part of the model. The County Commissioners next meeting is August 5.

The Trustees also addressed the following agenda items.

The board recognized several hospital employees for their recent achievements. BBGH Controller Lori Mazanec was congratulated for being named the July 2013 Employee of the Month, as was Stephen VanNoy, PA-C, for being named the Provider of the 2nd Quarter 2013. Also recognized was Kristin Kesterson and Sue Steele for their effort in obtaining American Diabetes Association recertification; Angie Hawk for her completion of her Nurse Practitioner in Pediatrics (she will soon practice at Alliance Children’s & Allied Health, Inc.); Nurse Educator Kim Tschacher for the completion of her Master’s degree; and Tim Devlin for his completion of his Sports Certification Specialty. Sally Bryner was also recognized for being the recipient of a $3,000 Nebraska Hospital Association Scholarship. New Diagnostic Imaging employee James Kirkpatrick was introduced to the board and welcomed to the BBGH family.

After approving the consent calendar Dr. Timothy Narjes, BBGH Chief of Staff , informed the board that he didn’t have anything to report.

The monthly financial report was not presented due to the Finance Department conducting end-of-year bookkeeping in preparation for the upcoming annual audit starting in August.

The monthly Governance/Strategy Focus by Mr. Griess focused on recent activities and fund raising efforts by the Nebraska Hospital Association Political Action Committee. The PAC was a donor to 14 legislative candidates in the 2012 election cycle, with 13 of the 14 candidates successful in being elected. Even though 2013 is a non-election year, the PAC is in the midst of a donor drive to raise funds for the upcoming 2014 election year. Mr. Griess said he was proud of the $1,395 donated in 2012 by BBGH affiliated personnel, with only one other Nebraska Critical Access Hospital raising more. He asked the Trustees to continue their individual support of the PAC.

Under new business, Mr. Griess discussed a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) document the Trustees needed to approve, as required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The need for the approval was brought to the attention of hospital administration by Trustee D.N. Taylor, Jr., DDS, after he attended a Western Regional Trustees Association meeting. The board unanimously adopted the CHNA developed collaboratively in large part through the leadership of the Panhandle Public Health District and Scottsbluff Health District. The CHNA will be posted in its entirety for public perusal at the hospital’s web site, www.bbgh.org.

Jane McConkey, CNO, promoted the upcoming Scrub in with BBGH event to be held this Friday, July 26. Second through fifth grade students attending the event will have a two hour hands on session that morning starting at 8 a.m. Students grade 6 through 9 will enjoy sessions with various departments from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Ms. McConkey said only a few younger class students have registered so far, and that the July 22 deadline has been dropped. Students can now register right up to the day of the event by calling 761.3425 or at the hospital prior to the 8 a.m. start.

After Trustees Larry Ring and Joni Jespersen shared what they learned from a recent RNHN Governance Education session, Mr. Griess invited the board to the annual BBGH Employee Picnic to be held August 2 at the Alliance City Park Shelter House, with inflatable bounce houses available for children and great food and companionship for everyone.

After unanimously granting all credentialing requests, the board adjourned at 7:47 p.m. The next regular meeting date is Monday, August 26 at 7:00 pm in the BBGH Alliance Room. As always, the public is welcome to attend.