JCHC Board Gets Department Head Updates

The Board of Trustees for the Johnson County Healthcare Center heard updates from the various department heads at the hospital, clinic, and nursing home during their recent meeting.

Mary Litzel, Director of Acute Care and Nursing, said patient numbers in the hospital have been as high as 10, and as few as four during the previous month.

She has hired one full-time nurse and is likely to hire another.

The pharmacy and social services are doing well, she said.

Family Medical Clinic Director Crystal Smith reported that numbers were down slightly in November, but she said that was due to nearly every provider taking time off at some point during the month, so not as many patients could be seen.

They are fully staffed for nurses and have not hired a new coder in the front office but are outsourcing the work for now, looking at continuing the service indefinitely.

Brenda Gorm, Director of the Amie Holt Care Center, said the facility has 43 residents with room for one more.

The care center is still experiencing what she called “significant staffing issues” with continued shortages in certified nursing assistants (CNAs).

Board Chairman Dr. Mark Schueler explained that they should approve credentialing for three individuals on the recommendation of the medical staff.

The names of the teleradiologists were not shared at the meeting.