Washakie Medical Center moves into green zone

WORLAND – Washakie Medical Center (WMC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jay Stallings announced during the WMC Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 23, that WMC has moved into the green zone for visitation at the hospital.

Stallings said that the decision came due to decreasing positive COVID-19 tests in Washakie County as well as decreased hospitalizations. According to the Wyoming Department of Health Washakie County has not had a hospitalized COVID-19 patient at WMC since the end of January.

In a green zone, the hospital allows visitation in the Emergency Department (ED) and the med-service floor. Health screenings and masks will still be required to enter into the building. Visitation hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Visitation on Saturday and Sunday is allowed from the same hours but those wishing to visit must enter through the ED. Two visitors will be allowed on the in-patient unit, one visitor will be allowed in the ED, clinic and outpatient procedure areas.

WMC Chief Financial Officer Jennifer McMillan reported that the WMC missed budget for the month of January by $192,000. This was due to a low number of inpatient volume, lower surgeries than anticipated, bad debt exceeded budget by $144,000 which according to McMillan eroded the net revenue along with some higher-than-expected Medicare deductions.

According to McMillan, WMC received $43,000 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) funding in January.

Banner Health Washakie Medical Center’s Diagnostic Manager over Lab and Imaging Marty Hinkel gave a presentation about the lab that is housed at Washakie Medical Center as a part of the boards in-service presentations.

Hinkel discussed with the department the importance of the lab earning a full-service Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), which is a required certification before the lab is able to accept human samples for diagnostic testing.

Tests that are performed by the lab include hematology, chemistry coagulation, serology/urinalysis along with other testing and screening.

She discussed with the board the importance of the Sysmex XN-1000 Hematology Analyzer with Immature Platelet Fraction (IPF) and how it is able to process up to 100 samples an hour while being able to analyze advanced clinical parameters.

The board approved a bid of $2,725.55 from Kings Carpet One to replace the carpet in the hospitalist sleep room.

The board approved a bid of $1,435 from Basin Mechanical for new sinks in a women’s restroom and the Environment Services Department (EVS).