Salem Township Hospital’s new Chief Executive Officer had good financial news for the hospital board while presiding over his first meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Alex Nazarian says the hospital had a positive $502,000 bottom line. Inpatient, outpatient, and the hospital’s clinics all had usage over budget. Nazarian says the hospital is ready to help the community with the current surge in COVID-19 cases, but he reports that is not the reason for inpatient days jumping to 264 in June.
“It is not really COVID related. Nationwide, we are seeing a spike in in-patient status. I don’t know what is going on, but it is possible during the lockdown people delayed care so their health status deteriorated. Now that they are coming back to health care, they are qualifying for inpatient status. So their situation has deteriorated.”
Nazarian notes health care facilities never relaxed masking and other COVID-19 mitigations and says the current surge may be the result of those mitigations being lifted a little early in the community. He reports the COVID team continues to meet bi-weekly to review the current situation with the pandemic.
Nazarian announced Nurse Practioner Sandra Tate that provides services surrounding behavioral issues is starting a new program.
“It is a program called COPE. It is when patients are faced with adverse situations in their life, she will be teaching strategies and how to cope with those events that have happened in their lives.”
Nazarian says referrals are not needed for the program and you can make arrangements to participate by calling the hospital.
The board was introduced to the new emergency room director Christina Lehman who supervises a staff of 24 and Sandra Smith who heads med surge, swing bed, and infection control. Both were already Salem Township Hospital employees who were promoted to their new positions.
The report for June on patient satisfaction indicated 83.3-percent of inpatients, 94.9-percent of outpatients, and 77.8-percent of emergency room patients said they would recommend the hospital to others for an overall score of 85-percent.
The board began the meeting with a moment of silence for Dick Haney who passed away this week. He served on the hospital board for 29 years, 25 years as its chairman. Current Chair Mike Morton said Haney truly loved the hospital and continued to follow its progress.
