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The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors passed a motion on Sept. 19 to invest up to $1.5 million at the CFO and CEO’s discretion in bonds and treasuries. The decision came at the suggestion of hospital CFO Doran Hammett. He said that PMC’s operating cash in an account at First Bank was increasing at a rate of .5 percent in interest per month, but the bank was only crediting the hospital a sufficient amount to offset bank charges. “Over the last 13 months, we earned almost $11,000 in excess of our bank charges, and that’s money that we...
The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors passed a motion for hospital CEO Phil Hofstetter to form a working document with DOWL, a professional project management firm, for the management of the facility project. The vote brought cheers from those present at the PMC board meeting on Sept. 19. “I love it, action,” said Hofstetter. In a letter submitted to the board of directors, Kendall E. Gee, senior project manager with DOWL, proposed an initial projectbudget of $20,000. Hofstetter said that the company would not invoice the hos...
Bill Tremblay General Information Name: Bill Tremblay Age: 64 Experience: My past experience includes 9 years on the Petersburg City Council (1999-2007), and 2 1/2 years on the City Council for Craig, Alaska (1985-1988). In addition to my 36 year work experience with the Forest Service, I have been a part of several groups or organizations that provide a benefit to the Petersburg community. At this time I am the President of the Board of Directors for KFSK Public Radio, a board member for the...
Petersburg Medical Center laid forth its high priority goals at a strategic planning board retreat on Friday. One priority was the construction of a new facility. “It’s really important to set goals and priorities,” said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. “There’s long term goals and there’s short term goals.” At the meeting, Hofstetter, the hospital board and department heads began discussion on what early steps need to be taken to begin planning a new facility. Community input and the location of the new facility were two beginning steps that everyone...
At a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, the assembly voted to fund member Jeff Meucci’s travel to Southeast Conference in Ketchikan later this month to advocate for a seat on the board of directors. The assembly is already sending Mayor Mark Jensen to SEC because he is Petersburg’s representative; however, Jensen has stated that he will not be voting for Meucci in the run for the board of directors. At the Aug. 20 assembly meeting, the assembly failed to approve funding for Meucci’s travel to SEC. Since the motion failed, the motion was r...
In the month of July, Petersburg Medical Center continued to offer a high level of quality of care. There were zero patients, the same amount as June, diagnosed with a catheter associated urinary tract infection, according to a quality report presented to PMC’s board members on Thursday. A urinary tract infection resulting from a catheter is one of the most common types of health care associated infections. Again, zero patients, in both June and July, had stage 3 or higher pressure ulcers, or bed sores. Also, hand hygiene scored a 98 percent in...
Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Walker signed Senate Bill 105 into law, which improves transparency in healthcare costs. “Healthcare costs are a critical issue in Alaska,” said Walker in a press release from Aug. 7. “Trying to keep costs sustainable is an important issue for individuals and families, but also for businesses and our economy. Seeking care is often hard enough – our medicals bills shouldn’t hurt, too.” Under the new bill, healthcare providers and facilities will have to publicly post the costs of their most common procedures,...
This week, the students in the nursing program at the Petersburg Medical Center began their second and last year in the program. "Nursing school is stressful no matter where you go," said Rosa Niemi, a registered nurse staff generalist and adjunct faculty with the University of Alaska Anchorage. "They seem to be doing really good. They are a close knit group." The program is with UAA. Half of the course is done online through teleconferencing, readings and group projects. The other half focuses...
Petersburg Medical Center will partner with Petersburg Mental Health Services to bring mental health counseling to the Joy Janssen Clinic beginning in September. “We’re looking forward to working with the hospital on it and we think it’s a great deal for the community,” said PMHS financial officer Kathy O’Rear. Building off a strong working relationship, PMHS will send Pat Feffa one day a week to PMC to begin an effort to have mental health to be a part of primary care, said O’Rear. By having a professional available at the hospital to...
On Thursday, Petersburg Medical Center CEO Philip Hofstetter addressed the hospital’s board of trustees and gave an executive summary detailing what his priorities were for his first month at the hospital. Hofstetter spoke about the feasibility of a new facility, access to care, staff and physician recruitment and his public relations efforts. “In this first month I have had over 101 meetings to get up to speed with the top priorities and to move initiatives forward,” said Hofstetter in his report. Hofstetter suggested setting a board retreat d...
A doctor of chiropractic position has been created at the Petersburg Medical Center to offer a wider range of holistic treatments. “You want to make sure you’re allowing other options for your patients,” said PMC CEO Philip Hofstetter. Previous hospital CEO Liz Woodyard stated that Rodney Anderson was in the process of being hired for the position after a hospital board meeting in May. Anderson operated his own practice until health issues forced him to close his office last year. In accordance with fair hire and labor laws, the hospital must...
On Saturday, the Petersburg Medical Center will host its fifth annual Paddle Battle in the Narrows fundraiser. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at Papke's Landing. The group will continue to Scow Bay, South Boat Harbor and end at Sandy Beach where a barbecue will be held. Participants can sign up online or in the business office at the hospital during the days leading up to the event. Sign-ups will also be held the day of the event at Papke's Landing at 9 a.m., Scow Bay at 12 p.m. and South...
Philip Hofstetter became Petersburg Medical Center's new CEO earlier this month and already has plans to bring some improvements to the facility. As he begins his first few weeks as CEO, Hofstetter is taking the time to become familiar with the different departments and how they operate, he said. He is also focused on meeting as many people in the facility and in the community to get a sense of what is done well and what needs improvement. "It seems there's a lot of people from the community tha...
During the closing days of the Legislative session, the Medicaid funding for fiscal year 2019 Medicaid supplemental was reduced from $48 million to $28 million. The Department of Health and Social Services will likely run out of money before the end of the fiscal year, requiring that they suspend payments to large health care providers. “The good news,” according to hospital CEO Liz Woodyard, “is the department will continue to make payments to small rural hospitals, like PMC, and should not see any disruption in payment.” Doran Hammett...
WRANGELL — A series of meetings between Southeast Alaska Rural Health Consortium and the City and Borough of Wrangell are planned for early next week. The regional health group is entertaining making an offer to assume control of Wrangell Medical Center, a municipally-run critical access hospital which has in recent years fallen into financial difficulties. Starting Sunday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday, SEARHC will hold a series of meetings with city staff, hospital transition steering committee members and the wider community, in o...
A hospital administrator from Nome is slated to become CEO of the Petersburg Medical Center. Philip Hofstetter, who's been vice president of hospital services at the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome for about six and a half years, was offered the CEO position at the Petersburg Medical Center. He signed a four-year contract, and his salary will be $185,000 annually. Hofstetter has 25 years of healthcare experience, 20 of which in Nome, with the last five in administration, overseeing a...
WRANGELL - Wrangell's emergency services were the recipients of the first-ever grant from the Walker Foundation, a benevolent fund established after the acquisition of Alaska Island Community Services last year by Southeast Alaska Rural Health Consortium. Governed by an appointed board, the Foundation supports activities that promote health and the welfare of the Wrangell community. "It's on a project by project basis. We currently have about $3.75M," explained Mark Walker, formerly CEO for...
A story last week said that Jeffrey Jones, a candidate for CEO of the Petersburg Medical Center, served in the United States Air Force for about six years. Jones also served as a healthcare administrator from 1990 to 2007, which was not reflected in the article.... Full story
The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors decided last week it would invite the finalists for the CEO position to town likely in mid-April. After an executive session to discuss which of the four finalists — one is from Petersburg — to bring to town, the board decided to invite all three. Philip Hofstetter is the vice president of hospital services at the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome. Hofstetter, a clinical audiologist, has 25 years of experience as a healthcare professional, 19 of which are in rural Alaska at a Level 4 Cri...
The Petersburg Medical Center has narrowed its search for a new CEO down to three applicants from Alaska and one from Missouri. CEO Liz Woodyard is closing-in on retirement after 44 years in the medical field. Her possible successors include Jennifer Bryner, of Petersburg; Philip Hofstetter, of Nome; Patrick Williams, of Sitka; and Jeff Jones, of West Plains, Missouri. There are scheduled Skype interviews in the coming days, and it’s hoped a decision could be made next week on which finalists will be invited to Petersburg, said Doran H...
Petersburg Medical Center board of directors recognized the long term care department for its recent five-star rating on a Medicare network, along with a quality of excellence award from 2017. The Petersburg Medical Center Long Term Care department was given a five-star overall rating from Nursing Home Compare, a branch of The U.S. Government Site for Medicare. Long term care also received the “Recognition of Quality Achievement Award” in September 2017, presented by Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, a Medicare quality organization for Ala...
WRANGELL — Wrangell Medical Center Foundation last month issued a letter to supporters informing them it would forgo its annual fundraiser weekend this year. For the past ten years the Brian Gilbert Memorial Golf Tournament and fundraiser dinner is hosted in Wrangell each May in order to raise money for the Foundation. The Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to support the community’s medical needs. The funds it handles fills a few roles, primarily supporting WMC’s bid for a new facility but also procuring new equipment, funding its cance...
In the search for a new CEO, the Petersburg Medical Center has received more than 70 applications from across the country, leaving it up to the hiring committee to narrow it down to less than 10. As of Tuesday, 74 people have applied to replace Liz Woodyard, the CEO of the medical center, who plans to retire at the end of June. “We have some highly qualified candidates,” said Doran Hammett, the chief financial officer with the medical center. “I don’t think we’ll have any trouble coming up with some good finalists.” The cutoff to apply was W...
January The Borough assembly started approval of a program called Local Improvement Districts, which asks Petersburg residents whether they would pay for road work in their neighborhoods. The Petersburg School Board discussed the possible loss of federal funding through a program called Secure Rural Schools. The school district reported a case of a Pertussis, or whooping cough, confirmed in Petersburg. Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter said it was not a public health emergency. An engineer led...
The remodel of the Petersburg Medical Center kitchen facility is nearing completion. Food service will resume in the new kitchen on Jan. 8. The hospital board approved the budget of up to $292,000 in March and made plans to use the Ocean Beauty bunkhouse kitchen to prepare meals during the remodel. Project supervisor Marty Sussort with Alaska Commercial Contractors in Juneau said the project entailed breaking up the kitchen floor to access waste lines that had plugged or failed. "We found the so...
