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August 11, 2009

Chamber meeting focuses on hospitals

Hospitals and how they are affecting the area locally and throughout the state were addressed by two guest speakers at the Woodward Chamber of Commerce luncheon Monday at the Pioneer Room.

Woodward Regional Hospital’s CEO, Lavah Lowe, and Dr. Terrence Stull, scientific director of Children’s Medical Research Institute in Oklahoma City, both gave a presentation on their facilities.

Lowe said that WRH serves 87 percent of patients within a 50-mile radius.

From Woodward and Mooreland the hospital in 2008 served 10,176 patients in the emergency room, 2,164 inpatients and 24,000 outpatients, she said.

The hospital is licensed for 87 beds and has 29 doctors on its medical staff, Lowe said.

Since she came on board in January 2008, several changes have taken place, Lowe said.

For example, the emergency room has received an electronic medical record system that streamlines registration and enhances documents.

It has also implemented a patient call-back system to learn what patients think of their care.

Of 2,700 patients reached, 96 percent of them “would recommend Woodward Regional Hospital for emergency room care,” Lowe said.

The hospital in 2008 spent $2.4 million for a conversion to an advanced information system, digital mammography, arthroscopy, a urology surgical table and upgraded defibrillators, according to her presentation.

It will have a new medication dispensing system this fall in which nurses have to use a thumb print to be allowed access to medicine and an improved infant protection system that is already in place, Lowe said.

The hospital also is actively recruiting doctors, she said, ensuring that they would be a good fit for the community of Woodward.

Hospital administrators also pay personal visits to WRH patients to ensure proper care is being received, she said.

“We make sure we are giving our patients a home-town touch,” she said.

In addition to the other changes, the hospital has reduced the number of agency nurses it hires to “less than 10,” she said, noting, “We also work with local nursing schools.”

“In 2008, Woodward Regional Hospital’s payroll was $16.5 million,” she said. “Property and sales taxes were $237,000 with a $28.4 million” community investment.

The hospital also has sponsored two new programs -- Healthy Woman and Senior Circle, which consists of among other things, exercise classes and travel opportunities.

Two new doctors on staff were introduced -- Dr. Patrick Kelly, and Dr. Walter Klassen.

A special reception will be held for them from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 20 at the WRH cafeteria.

Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma, introduced Stull, who said, “We don’t want children in Oklahoma to get any less than the best treatment possible.”

He said the children’s hospital is the most active in Oklahoma to bring the best doctors from around the United States to its premises.

He noted that Children’s Medical Research Institute will have a new building scheduled to open the week of Sept. 1 and that the hospital was pleased to partner with WRH.

Stull also asked that donations be sent to the CMRI.

“We do not turn children away,” he said, “and the care is as good as any place.”

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