Rotarian Bob Wright, CEO of Newman Regional Health, provided our Rotary Club with an update on NRH as a critical access hospital, one of 1,350 critical access hospitals in the United States. Critical access hospitals represent a Medicare reimbursement category for small hospitals with a much smaller economy of scale than non-critical access hospitals, and the acute-care beds are reduced to a maximum of twenty-five. If Medicare expansion is approved by the Kansas Legislature, NRH's situation will be helped. Eighteen percent of NRH's patients are on Medicare, which is the highest percentage of hospitals between here and Wyandotte. 
 
Other information provided by Bob:
  • The new Express Care + ER is operationally working very well for NRH patients. There is additional privacy for patients, making it one of the best facilities around.
  • The pharmacy renovation/expansion at NRH is getting started in the location of the old ER.
  • The Corona virus has been around for 10-15 years. What we are hearing about now is a new strain.
  • Cardiology - NRH is trying to recruit two more general cardiologists.
  • High deductible insurance plans is one of NRH's biggest challenges.
  • New anesthesia equipment from funds raised at a recent Denim & Diamonds event - Five were purchased, and are going online now.
  • The next Denim & Diamonds event is raising funds to help with the PT renovation.