Pinckneyville Hospital Total Costs Identified

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The certificate of need for a replacement 25-bed hospital to be located at the corner of White Walnut Rd. and Route 154 has been filed with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board and has been deemed complete.

The certificate of need is scheduled to be considered at the April 20-21 meeting of the State Board in Chicago. The Illinois Department of Public Health will post its review the certificate of need and post their findings on the website on April 6. The public will have until April 10 to respond to the findings. The report may be accessed at www.idph.state.il.us/about/hfpb/sars.htm.

Anyone who would like to request a public hearing should submit a written request by Dec. 16 to:

Mike Constantino, Supervisor, Project Review Section

Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board

525 West Jefferson Street (2nd Floor)

Springfield, IL 62761

Total cost for the project is estimated at $46,624,405. Hospital Administrator Tom Hudgins said the construction cost is currently estimated at $33,697,000. The total cost of the project includes architectural costs, financing costs and moving costs. Some funds have already been paid for preliminary work on the project.

The hospital has until the April hearing to determine a fixed price for the hospital. Hudgins said the drawings are being used to get a current cost estimate for the project. He's hoping that the cost will go down.

The hospital is still working on the HUD 242 loan guarantee program application. Hudgins said the examine forecast, which is necessary for the HUD application, is expected to be finalized next week. He hopes to have the HUD 242 application submitted before Christmas.

At the Dec. 7 board meeting, the board:

heard that there was an operating loss of $89,684 and a net loss of $53,698 for October. "The loss was smaller," Hudgins said. "We're gaining ground." The hospital filed a new cost report last month to determine if Medicaid owes an additional funding. The report may be completed before the end of the year.

heard that the four members of Southern Illinois Medical Services will begin doing general surgery and clinics at PCH the first week of February.

purchased a glidescope (video intubation system) for $8,897 and a C-arm (portable X-ray device) for $89,000. The x-ray system is a refurbished demo model, which will get the same warranty as a new machine. A new C-arm costs between $189,000 and $200,000.

acted to donate 10 room sets (bed, over-bed table and bedside table) to Rend Lake College for use in their nursing program.

entered an 18-month agreement to purchase electricity from Direct Energy. There is a potential savings of $2,000 per month.

responded to the IDPH surveys of the hospital and facility that were conducted last month. The survey found items that were not up to current code such as hallway doors. The doors will be replaced with doors that have a higher fire code rating. PCH will also have to reposition some shut-off valves for oxygen and suction systems. The staff must be more diligent in paperwork for orders. Hudgins said that the orders must have a signature, date and time. Staff sometimes forgot to put a time on the orders.

accepted the committee recommendation that the board retain the same officers for the coming year. The offices are: John Shotton- Board Chairman, Roger Smith- Vice Chair, Leonard Heisner- Treasurer and Bill Roe- Secretary.