PMC Begins New Approach for Provider Recruitment

Prowers Medical Center

The medical profession has long acknowledged varying difficulties in recruiting physicians to rural hospitals and Prowers Medical Center is no different. Karen Bryant, Interim Chief Executive Officer, detailed some new avenues the hospital will take for more positive results when she met with the Prowers County Commissioners on Tuesday, February 25^th.

“Our recruitment process will be slow and deliberate with the intention of hiring the providers who want to be a part of the hospital and community,” she explained. “We aren’t alone with the problem of recruitment and retention as we’ve discussed collaborative efforts High Plains Health over the years,” she added. Bryant said the hospital will continue a new provider’s orientation process after they’ve joined the PMC team and will take more care with the credential process for a new hire. “Depending on which insurance company comes into play, coverage could run from 30 to 90 days or even longer and that can impact our billing if a provider begins their practice before all the paperwork has been finalized,” she told the commissioners. She said new providers are being emailed the process for using the hospital’s new electronic health records system so they’re acquainted with the procedures before they arrive.

Bryant said she, along with some PMC board members and Dr. Rey, Chief of Staff, will attend a meeting pertaining to rural hospital recruitment. “This comes from an event in Lakin, KS several years ago, where OB care was going to shut down, but a successful effort was made to recruit providers. We’re meeting with the former CEO to develop innovative recruiting strategies and we’ll see about adding them to our hiring and screening practices.”

The hospital will soon introduce new security procedures. Bryant said Helix Security out of Denver has been hired to upgrade security at Prowers Medical Center and will have an on-site presence between 5pm and 5am. “The training and recruitment will be conducted by the company and we’re open to hiring local persons if they are qualified,” she explained, adding that the current policy calls for all entrances and exits to lock at 8pm with the exception of the emergency room entrance. “All visitors have to go through that entry, check in with the clerk and receive a visitor’s pass.” She told the commissioners the guard will be electronically monitored from the company’s site in Denver to ensure they’re making the required rounds and after a first quarter, the hospital and company will review how well the new procedures are working and if any adjustments will be required. Local law enforcement agencies will also be apprised of the new security measures for the hospital.

Bryant said this will also be an election year at PMC for new board members. Three seats will be open for election: two 3-year terms and one 2-year term. Miranda Fisher has been appointed as the Designated Election Official for the Hospital District. This will be a mail-in ballot and will be conducted on May 5th, if required, occurring if there are more candidates than open positions. Those wishing to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form have until close of business at 5pm, on Friday, February 28, 2020.  Write-in candidate forms must be submitted by close of business on Monday, March 2.

By Russ Baldwin