Scurry County Hospital District board members heard updates on the hospital’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic during a meeting that was closed to the public Wednesday. The meeting was scheduled to be open to the public, but was closed after a misunderstanding, according to Cogdell CEO Ella Rae Helms.
According to the Texas Open Meetings Act, actions taken during the meeting could be voided if challenged.
The board approved a form for screening those wishing to visit Cogdell Memorial Hospital. The form, which will be used to screen potential visitors for signs of the virus, has the following stipulations: No one under age 16 will be allowed, only one visitor per patient will be allowed and that visitor must be considered an essential visitor.
Essential visitors include government personnel, a designated caregiver acting on the patient’s behalf (parent of a minor or a legally authorized representative), a family member or a member of the clergy. The form also makes allowances for more than one family member to visit patients nearing the end of life.
Essential visitors will then be screened and will be prohibited from entering if they have a fever higher than 100.4 degrees; report or demonstrate signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat; have been in close contact in the last 14 days with someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of, or is under investigation for, COVID-19, or who has a respiratory illness; or has traveled to an area with an active COVID-19 outbreak or sustained community transmission.
The board approved the purchase of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system for the hospital’s computers. The system, which will cover all computers at the hospital and provide battery power for up to six hours in the case of a power outage, will cost $150,000.
The board also approved a change to the hospital’s tax abatement agreement with the Canyon Wind Project LLC. The amendment simply changes the name of the project to “Canyon Wind Farm LLC,” which is owned by the company SR Canyon Wind LLC of New York.
Several new medical appointments were approved, including cardiologist Mounir Bornir M.D.; Cassy Cook M.D. of Lubbock Radiology; David Gullett CRNA; Kevin Hough D.O.; nephrologist Nayankumar Patel M.D.; Jordan Perry M.D.; and cardiologist Paul Walter M.D.
The board also re-appointed six medical doctors, including doctors Michael Dickey, Syed Akbar, Joseph Trudeau, Mickey Bush, Jenny Olivo and Francis Cloran.
The board reviewed postpartum hemorrhage policy and algorithm and postpartum recovery. The board met in closed session to discuss the quality assurance report, but took no action.
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