Members of the Central Peninsula General Hospital Inc. board of directors on Thursday expressed ambivalence at the announced resignation of Chief Financial Officer Edward Burke.
On one hand, they congratulated Burke on the news that he will be taking over as CFO for Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, a two-hospital system that provides teaching facilities for Louisiana State and Tulane universities.
At the same time, board members said they were sad to see Burke leave CPGH, where financial numbers were in the red when he arrived two years ago and are now in the black.
"Operating margin is 3 1/2 percent, the highest it's been since I've been here," Burke said.
However, the finance executive cautioned the board to keep a watchful eye on in-patient census, a figure that's been on the decline since February, he said.
"As the volume of in-patients goes down, out-patient volume is keeping the bucket full," Burke said.
CPGH Chief Executive Officer David Gilbreath said, "I'm a little less pessimistic than Ed. I feel the disparity between in-patient and out-patient census will continue to widen, maybe to (a ratio of) 25-75."
"Ed will be truly missed," said CPGH Inc. President Loretta Flanders in a printed statement. "His years of experience in health care and hospital finance were a great asset to the hospital and the community. We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor."
Gilbreath said a search for a replacement for Burke will begin immediately.
In other business, the board approved the purchase of a $323,102 dual head, nuclear gamma camera to replace a 9-year-old, obsolete one-head nuclear camera.
Hospital directors reported on recent attendance at the annual Plane Tree conference, where they learned more about the patient-centered health-care program, which currently is being implemented at CPGH.
"I was surprised to see (Griffin Hospital) has candy stripers back," said volunteer coordinator Pat Gilbreath.
"They were passing out cookies to patients and visitors, cookies they baked there, lending to the Plane Tree aroma therapy program," she said.
Pat Gilbreath also reported on greeters who not only pointed people in the direction they needed to go at that hospital, but escorted people to their destinations.
Aaron Kotzin, a hospital director over maintenance, environmental services and food services, told the board he did not fully understand the healing partnership between patients, their families and their caregivers until he attended the conference on Plane Tree.
"As a structures person, I know that architecture and structure are important, but I found you can't replace staff attitude and participation when it comes to patient care," he said.
Flanders reported that eight people have applied for three board positions due to come open at year's end and said interviews of the applicants will be conducted today and Tuesday.
In his CEO report, David Gilbreath reported on the receipt of two grants: a $37,000 grant from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for the child safety program; and a $138,344 grant from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality to develop a plan for health information technology for centers including Heritage Place, Cottonwood Health Centers and Public Health.
The child safety program will allow CPGH to double the number of child safety car seats distributed each year to 200, according to Gilbreath.
