As construction progresses at the new Allen County Hospital, the Board of Trustees approved proposals that will fund key equipment.
Trustees Tuesday evening approved tentative purchase of a CT scanner, a telephone system and telemetry equipment.
These decisions came following an optimistic construction update that, despite recent rains, reported the majority of exterior cement work finished and the building process on track.
David-Paul Cavazos, head of radiology at ACH, suggested options for the purchase of a CT scanner. The board approved a GE 32/I-64 Slice Optima machine at a five-year lease cost of $661,430.
The higher the number of “slices,” the more diagnostic a machine’s scans can be, and, Cavazos said, this machine (which is a 32-slice machine with 64-slice capabilities), will keep the hospital ahead of the curve in technology. The hospital’s current machine, a four-slice machine, was purchased in 2004.
“I like this option because it meets all of the goals,” Cavazos said.
He said the room at new hospital for the CT scanner is made for a GE machine, and he believes it makes the most sense to buy from General Electric. He said the company is the easiest vendor to work with as well.
Chief Financial Officer Larry Peterson said it was important for the board to take action in order to have the machine in the new building when it opens.
“Our goal is to have a machine in place the day we open,” he said.
Board members approved the purchase of a telephone system and telemetry system as well.
A telephone system, at a cost of about $80,000, will be implemented by Kansas Communication Systems, Chanute.
“This is our best deal,” Peterson said. “We can get a good system and support a local vendor.”
Patty McGuffin, ACH chief nursing officer, said a new telemetry system needs to be installed into the new facilities at the current stage of construction.
Telemetry systems utilize nearly 30 antennas to monitor patient’s heart rate and heart rhythms, along with other basic vital signs. The board approved a letter of commitment with Spacelabs Healthcare for an amount “between $320,000 and $380,000,” McGuffin said.
Peterson and McGuffin both said the telemetry systems in the current hospital are in dire need of replacement, and would not be able to be transferred to the new building.
“It’s our number one need,” Peterson said.
The ACH board appointed members to the medical executive committee for the new hospital. They are Dr. Wesley Stone, chief of staff; Dr. Brian Wolfe, credentials chair and vice chief of staff; Dr. Frank Porter, medicine department chair; Dr. Rebecca Lohman, surgery/OB department chair and secretary of treasury; Dr. Earl Walter, at-large member; Dr. Timothy Spears, past chief of staff.
ACH board makes key purchases
