The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 8, 2014 Page: 4 of 44
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THURSDAY B MAY ZD 1 4
NEWS PAGE
THE CANADIAN RECDRD
Hospital district continues in pursuit
of rural health clinic designation
The Hemphill County Hospital board has taken an-
other step toward rural health clinic (RHC) status. In
their April 22 meeting, the trustees approved continua-
tion of a timeline of requirements they must meet in or-
der to have the clinic designation by December 2.
“All our consultants, auditors, legal counsel, [and]
the doctors all agree that moving forward with the rural
health clinic is the best way to go,” said Hospital Admin-
istrator Christy Francis. She reminded the board of the
reason they decided to pursue the change and hire a con-
sultant to assist them with the application process. “The
reimbursement rate for Medicare and Medicaid is much
higher, with an opportunity for the physicians to expand
the practice, have more visits, and more time to spend
with patients.”
With that set-up, the doctors will need to be free from
as much emergency room duty. The district is current-
ly negotiating an agreement with Amarillo Hospitalist
Services for ER coverage from 7 am Tuesday though
Thursday at 7 am. This schedule would limit ER duty for
the doctors on staff to one day a week and one weekend
a month. Dr. Nam Lee, founder of AHS, met with physi-
cians and staff in March.
One requirement for a rural health clinic is to estab-
lish a practice of a mid-level physician—a physician’s as-
sistant or nurse practitioner. Two candidates have been
interviewed, said COO Patrick Murfee.
There will be no change of ownership because the dis-
trict owns the clinic and its assets, said Francis. It will
be a transfer from a private practice to RHC. What will
have to be negotiated in the agreement is the clinic’s ac-
counts receivable total at the time of purchase. That will
be established by figuring the average collection rate.
Francis said whatever the purchase price is, it should all
be recouped later when billing is completed for A/R.
Employees of the clinic are currently hospital employ-
ees who are leased to the clinic. There will be no change
in their salary benefits, but they would be switched to the
district’s policy and procedures.
Another issue will be that until the clinic has a suc-
cessful state inspection, it will not be able to bill out or
receive Medicare and Medicaid RHC payments.
Murfee said the doctors will be giving up some con-
trol. The clinic will be subject to the same inspections as
the hospital with more regulations. The advantage would
be that the doctors would have the burden of operating
the clinic lifted from them. “They see it as a good strate-
gic move for them,” he said. He also noted that Hemphill
County Hospital is one of the few in the area without a
rural health clinic as part of the district or in the com-
munity.
Francis updated the board about Mesa View Assisted
Living. A new director has been hired—Nancy Gomes
from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She has a background
as a radiation technician and in assisted living. Margaret
Evans, the interim director, plans to assist Gomes with
the transition until the middle or end of May.
A donation to Mesa View will fund the landscape work
around the facility, due to begin the following week. It
will include outside lighting for the roadway, as well as
for the signage. The facility now has a bus, purchased
used at a cost of $27,000, which will accommodate 12 pas-
sengers, two wheelchairs and a driver.
our'Ao&bital amm/el
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Please vote Johanna Ashley
for Hospital Board
May 10th
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 8, 2014, newspaper, May 8, 2014; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth649249/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hemphill County Library.