North Big Horn Hospital District hires OB/GYN doctor

By: 
Patti Carpenter

North Big Horn Hospital is one step closer to expanding women’s health services with the hiring of Brenda Camp, MD, a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecological services. Hospital CEO Eric Connell announced the hiring of Dr. Camp at the most recent board of trustees meeting held on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Camp signed an agreement with the hospital since the board’s last meeting and will begin serving as a provider as of Jan. 1, 2025. Connell was authorized to hire an OB/GYN at a special meeting held last month on September 24, following the presentation of an extensive feasibility study by CFO Darcy Robertson, confirming the practicality of expanding women’s health services.

“She (Dr. Camp) will work 32 hours per week, and this will align nicely with the volume projections,” explained Connell in his monthly report to the trustees. “Dr. Camp is working with the OR (operating room) team to determine equipment needs for her practice. There are a few items that we will need to purchase, and the board can anticipate that some of those items may come up for a vote at a future board meeting. We included $50,000 in the pro-forma for startup capital equipment, although we hope to come in well below that number.”

It was noted in previous board discussions that the new provider will not be delivering babies at the hospital. However, it is likely that she will provide prenatal services and extensive gynecological services. She is also an experienced surgeon.

In other matters, Connell also reported that the district has reached a special UPL (upper payment limit) management arrangement with Peaks Healthcare, a company that operates three nursing facilities in Wyoming. It is similar to an arrangement the district has had with Rocky Mountain Healthcare in Evanston since 2018. As part of the agreement with Peaks, NBHH will be compensated for services provided under the agreement. Connell noted that additional staffing will be required to perform those services.

“We are moving toward hiring a part-time PL consultant to help us manage our responsibilities under the program and hope to announce that we have filled that position at the board meeting,” Connell reported.

Connell also reported that a recent COVID outbreak at New Horizons Care Center appears to be under control.

“We are working through the latest COVID outbreak,” he explained in his report. “We have had 39 residents test positive and 14 staff. The care center leadership team has gone above and beyond. It appears that we are through the worst of it, and residents and staff are starting to come off quarantine and feel better.”

On a positive note, NBHH surgeon Dr. Michael Hill talked to trustees about an incident at the hospital where radiologic technician Betsy Piper found a mass during an ultrasound on a patient. The mass had previously gone undetected during a mammogram at another facility. The ultrasound was conducted on the patient at NBHH.

Piper and her manager Julaine Askvig were both present at the meeting. The trustees praised Piper for putting in the extra effort that led to the discovery of what turned out to be a cancerous mass. According to Connell, those extra efforts will most likely result in a better outcome for the patient than if the mass had not been detected, since early detection of cancer is often critical to a positive outcome. 

In other matters, clinic manager Amber James reported 1,077 patient visits to the clinic in the month of September, along with 269 home visits by visiting nurses and 91 same day appointments scheduled for patients. Additionally, she reported 42 patients enrolled in chronic care management.

Director of Nursing Michael Henley submitted a census report for the month of September, showing 19 patients admitted to the hospital for observation, 13 regular admissions and six swing bed admissions. Three of the swing bed admissions were referrals from Billings Clinic. Henley also noted in his report that one COVID-positive patient was admitted for observation.

“We are seeing more COVID-positive cases throughout the facility, including care center residents and employees,” he noted. “Hospital admissions from these cases have still been very limited.”

The trustees approved a revised policy regarding how the special hospital district manages mill levy funds. In the revised policy, a special account will be set up for the funds and the trustees will have more involvement in approval of expenditures from the account.

 

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