Nine-member advisory board recruited
With Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services CEO Robert Whitaker departing the job Oct. 29, the hospital may be entering a new phase.
Whitaker started the job April 15, 2022, and announced his resignation Oct. 5.
The hospital board of trustees credits him with helping to improve staff and community relationships and leading the initiative to transition the hospital to a Critical Access Hospital, a change that is under way and expected to be completed later this year. As a CAH, the hospital will get better reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid patients and will be able to offer short-term skilled nursing care for recovering patients aged 65 or older.
The board was expected to receive a list of possible interim CEO candidates from Community Hospital Corp., which still has a management contract with the hospital, and to choose from among them.
“The Board has initiated a search and will begin the process of replacing the CEO next week,” Board Vice Chair Genevieve Robran said. “The Board of Trustees would like to thank Robert for his service and assure the community that the management of RMCHCS is in place and that there will not be an interruption of patient care.”
How long that person will be in the position is an open question. The CHC contract ends in May, and the board hasn’t yet made a decision on whether to continue the management contract, transition to a consulting or supply relationship or sever ties. The contract requires that the board give six months notice for any major change, so a decision should be coming soon.
“The most important thing that we come back to is patient safety, the welfare of our patients,” Board Secretary Dr. Warner Anderson said.
At its Sept. 27 meeting, the board approved two new members – Skyler Stevens, who’s a faculty lecturer and teacher of anatomy and physiology in UNM-Gallup’s Mathematics, Physical and Natural Sciences Division; and Ian Koons, CEO and co-founder of digital cardiac health platform Karoo Health.
CITIZEN PANEL FORMED
Meanwhile, Community Health Action Group has recruited nine members for a community advisory board with a goal of smoothing and improving hospital services and building better relationships in the community.
“In an effort to help bridge the divide between hospitals, healthcare systems, and community members who seek those services, this advisory group has been organized to provide a formal mechanism for integrating the voices of the community into the hospital and healthcare system,” Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce Program Director Lori A. Parra said. “It is our hope to provide the community’s perspective in a manner that will help to improve processes, services, environment, patient communication, and other matters as they arise.”
The new panel includes voting board members local business owner Brett Hartline; retired physician Frederic Held; associate English professor Tracy Lassiter; retired health service worker Anita Muneta; Family Nurse Practitioner Jean Proper; community outreach coordinator JayLyn Randles; and Recovery Center Operations Manager Maura Schanefelt.
Advisory (non-voting) board members are physical therapist Greg Kirk, CHAG leader Dr. Connie Liu and Parra, who worked together on recruiting and setting up the panel.
“Everyone is really positive and they want to be a part of solving our health care problems locally,” Liu said. “I think we came up with some diversity in experience and thinking, people with experience in various aspects of health care, which will also be helpful.”
The advisory group hasn’t had their first meeting yet, but that’s the next step, Parra said.
“Following initial meetings, we will get to work finalizing our by-laws as a team and begin prioritizing next steps for the group, including building those essential collaborative relationships with the RMCH Board, RMCH administration and community stakeholders,” Parra said.
After getting organized, the panel hopes to meet informally with the RMCH board to establish a relationship and focus its efforts.
“It’s an opportunity to see what we can do,” Liu said. “We have an enthusiastic group of people who want to do constructive things.”
By Holly J. Wagner
Sun Correspondent
