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Northern Cochise Community Hospital Newsletter
From the desk of...CHRIS CRONBERG,CEO
One of the least understood roles in a hospital is the role of the board of directors. What are the real duties and responsibility of a hospital board? In the case of Northern Cochise Community Hospital, this question has to be answered from two directions. The reason this needs to be approached from two directions is there are two boards involved with the hospital. The first board is the hospital district board. These are the people who stand for election every four years and there are five members of the district board. By Arizona law, the district board must lease the hospital to a non-profit group to operate the hospital; the day-to-day operations. This is where it gets a little confusing but not as confusing as it is in other hospital districts in Arizona. The non-profit board, or operating board, is made up of the five district board members and the chief of hospital medical staff. This is the board that has ultimate responsibility for operating the hospital. This is the group that we refer to as the corporate board. They formed a corporation under Arizona
law and have 501 (c) 3 designation from the IRS. The corporate board has two main duties. The first is employing a CEO and evaluating that person's performance. The CEO is charged to operate the hospital's day-to-day operations. The board conducts a very comprehensive evaluation of my performance as CEO annually. This evaluation not only reviews my day-to-day contribution but
reviews the goals we set annually to measure my performance. The second duty of the board is to establish the strategic direction of the hospital. It is THIRD QUARTER 2004 my job as CEO, through the employment of staff, establishing operational goals and providing day-to-day input to keep the hospital moving in the direction established by the board. How do you become a member of the hospital board? As I stated above, the district board is an elected position. Elections are held in March of those years when board members terms are expiring. Our next election is in March 2005 and you, as registered voters of the hospital district will elect two board members. The corporate board has recently amended their bylaws to expand the membership of this board by four members. The board will appoint these members for a four-year term. The board of directors is currently developing the process to be used to select the new members and the appointment time periods. The decision to expand the board is the direct result of discussion during the board's strategic planning session a year ago where the need to widen the board's community base was agreed upon. Like all boards, there is a time commitment that must be made by members. We meet monthly except for the two months we take off for summer break and Christmas. Board members are asked to serve on hospital committees during the month and there may be special meetings to deal with issues that need the board’s input. The board also has committees and most active is the finance committee; they meet monthly to review the financial reports of the hospital. The board is a very important part of our commitment to be financially responsible to the community and the board does hold the final fiduciary responsibility. I hope this helps you understand our board better and the role they play to make NCCH successful. A board member must be committed and never lose sight of how important our hospital is to this community.
Food Fight!!!
When it comes to catering to patients in the hospital, residents in the nursing home, hospital staff, visitors to the hospital or nursing home and families of our customers, the Nutrition Services staff at NCCH does it right. Judy Necas, Nutrition Services Director, says, "It's always a fight to please everyone who has their meals at NCCH. Many patients are on some kind of dietary restriction required by their physician and we have to abide by that. Sometimes nobody's happy!." She went on to say how other restrictions may limit her ability to provide what people really want. Judy works with the local stores and with a supplier from out of town but at times items are just out of season or are such a rare request they are not able to find it at all. What Northern Cochise Community Hospital has done is implement a menu system for patients in the hospital similar to room service in a hotel. By working with the dietician who consults on the nutritional needs of patients, Judy has worked out menus that provide at least two choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Patients have been very positive about it, Judy says. "Food is one area where patients can express their opinion-and they do not hesitate to do that," says CEO Chris Cronberg. "We do an excellent job of serving up quality and we do it efficiently. Food is only about 3% of the total hospital budget but it's very important to us - and to our patients. We're encouraged by the progress the Nutrition Services have made in providing excellent customer service in the area of meals and snacks."
Kim Duncan, RN, BSN, CPHQ
Kim Duncan, RN, BSN, has added CPHQ to her professional title. Kim is a "Grow Your Own" product— and came back to work in her community before the concept was verbalized. She graduated from Willcox High School, earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from Cochise College and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Phoenix. She came to work at Northern Cochise Community Hospital as a staff RN in June of 1988. Through the years, she has served as Ambulatory Services Coordinator, Birthing Center Coordinator, Operating Room Supervisor, Clinical Nurse Manager, and Director of Nursing. She then took on the job of Clinical Case Manager and Risk Manager— and served for a short time, at the same time, as Interim Nurse Executive. Her job changed in 2001 to include Case Manager, Utilization Review, Risk Manager and Performance Improvement and was renamed Director of Patient and Health Services. In March of 2004, Kim was delegated to concentrate on Performance Improvement and to continuously monitor quality of service in the hospital. Kim enrolled in an intense program provided by the National Association for Healthcare Quality in Glenview, Illinois. She worked for six months on the internet and attended a class held in Phoenix prior to taking the exam and becoming a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). The Joint Commission on Healthcare defines quality as: "Patient care quality is the degree to which patient care services increase the probability of desired patient outcomes and reduce the probability of undesired outcomes, given the current state of knowledge." Kim defines quality as a continuous improvement process. She says, "I believe that quality in healthcare depends on the processes in place as much as the people who implement those processes. At NCCH, we have the ability to provide quality care and we will do so 24/7. "Congratulations, Kim! Good job!” Kim Duncan
NCCH Health Fair
For more information on NCCH's annual health fair. Health Fair Information
Aviod a Stroke
LifeLine Screening, November 10, 2004
Pre-Registration Required
Please Call Toll Free 1-888-312-5433
pre-registration and pricing information
Memorials and Contributions
The "Jardin de Donativos" or Garden of Donors is located in the main hall of NCCH and includes the names of those for whom we have received a memorial and those who have made a major contribution to NCCH. All monies received in this way are added to the NCCH Development fun and used to help purchase capital goods to improve the lives of our patients and residents.
We share the sorrow of those who've lost a loved one and appreciate their designating Northern Cochise Community Hospital to receive contributions in their memory.
Evelyn Litviak
Trinidad K. Hager
Kathleen Post
Shirley Ann Lichter
Pamela Wells
Edward & Audrey Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. Carl Aley
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Buchner
Mr. & Mrs. John Kimzey
Leola Peach
Women's Missionaries/First Baptist Church
Lloyd E. Morris
Stephanie & Fredrick Duvall
Leon & Sandra Buckley
Betty A. Jenkins
Melvin & Ellen Morris
Rosalee Wheat
Bruce Crawford
Billie Riggs
Leola Peach
Juanita Humphries
Carole Nyquist
Betty Gentry
Arlene Coomer
Louise Sheehan
Leola Peach
Theola Lane
Orville & Mardell Mickens
William (Bill) Lytle
Manuel & Janie Placencia
Howard McCullough
Leona McCullough
Chuck Gifford
Leona McCullough
Joseph Faron
Leona McCullough
David Faron
Leona McCullough
Georgia Monzingo
Jack Monzingo
Bruce Erickson
Marie Martin
Orville and Mardell Mickens
Johny Grant Judd
Charles and Jeanette Wright
We also appreciate those who've made a monetary contribution.
CR & Veta Middleton
Mary K. Tingle
Carol J. Dunagan
Newt and Jody Disney
Mark and Laurette LeVine
And to those who've provided goods and services for patients and residents:
Creden Huber
Steven Cunningham
Shirley Ann Lichter
Carol J. Dunagan
Many individuals and organizations give of their time and resources to NCCH to benefit patients and residents. Some of those are:
Northern Cochise Hospital Auxiliary
Volunteers at the Nursing Home
Willcox Art League
Willcox Cancer Support Core Group
The NCCH Newsletter is published quarterlyand is the responsibility of the Community RelationsDepartment. Any health information is not intended to takethe place of medical advice nor do the opinions expressedherein necessarily reflect the official policies of theNCCH administration, medical staff orboard of directors.Northern Cochise Community Hospital, Inc. is an EqualOpportunity Employer and Provider.
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