Humboldt General Hospital Interim Chief Executive Officer Robyn Dunckhorst has defined a long list of objectives to complete during her interim time as CEO.
Her interim time has been extended to July 31, 2022 to allow proper time to complete the objectives through second quarter 2022, after which time she and the board will review her status and determine how to move forward with the permanent CEO role.
As discussed and approved by the board of trustees, the goals include a revenue cycle plan with benchmarks and deadlines to ensure stabilization and sustainability of in-house billing, a Rural Health Clinic plan, ensuring revenue supports budget/expenses, improvement of provider services and HGH engagement with the community.
Revenue cycle goals include identifying the bridge solution to help with inhouse billing while long-term solutions are identified and processes built, including engagement with Cerner, the hospitals electronic medical record system.
The hospital will continue to transition from contract billing support to inhouse billing support as positions are hired and trained to support the workload efficiently, with a goal for a reduction in accounts receivable and days not final billed within six months.
The rural health clinic benchmarks include central scheduling, streamlining of the follow-up and referral processes and standardized medical assistant training for clinical base training and Cerner, all to be completed by the end of first quarter 2022.
To ensure revenue supports the budget and expenses, the fiscal year 2023 budget process will begin early with an assessment of operating expenses in an effort to ensure that all operative expenses are allocated for the new budget year, including a formal process for evaluation of staffing needs and positions.
Dunckhorst will also focus on recruitment and retention opportunities not using third party placement firms which are extremely high in cost.
The stabilization of the women’s health service line and OB/GYN OR capacity will begin in January with anticipation to see positive changes by quarter two 2022 and inhouse orthopedics to be developed early next year.
The following agenda items were also updated at the November 23 regular hospital board of trustees meeting:
• An IT request to purchase internet infrastructure wireless access system and support services was unanimously approved to be completed in house.
• A request for approval of employment agreement with Robyn Dunckhorst to provide interim hospital administrator and chief executive officer services was unanimously approved.
• The establishment and approval of the goals and objectives for the interim hospital administrator and chief executive officer was unanimously approved.
• A motion that in accordance with best management practices, new contracts are solicited at the end of a 5-year contract and the authorization of preparation of solicitation of request for proposals to provide board legal counsel services to be brought back to the board for review prior to moving forward with the release of the RFP was unanimously approved.
• A special meeting will be held on January 2, 2021 at 10 a.m. to discuss and decide amendments to board of trustee bylaws.
