SABINE COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEETING MINUTES

September 14, 2009

The Sabine County Hospital District Board of Directors met in Regular Session on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 5:30PM in the Sabine County Hospital Board Room 167.

Present
Phil Yocom, President
Earl Willis, VP & Treasurer
Joe McNaughten, Secretary
 Richard Barnett, Member at Large
Lana Comeaux, Member
 Gayle Hammonds, Office Manager
Duane Keating, Attorney
 
Others Present
Stephen Pitts, Hospital Administrator
Deanna Lathrop, Assistant Administrator
 
I.	Mr. Yocom called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

II.	No one from the public was present. 

III.	Mr. Willis moved to accept the minutes from the August 31, 2009 Special Session and Public Hearing and the September 4, 2009 Public Hearing.  Mr. Barnett seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

IV.	Mr. Barnett moved to accept the financials and invoices for the month.  Mr. Willis seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

V.	Mr. Yocom asked Mr. Keating to report on his findings regarding physician recruiting.  Mr. Keating informed the Board that according to the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Attorney General opinions:
1.	Public funds have to be determined by the public entity, The Sabine County Hospital District; the expenditure must be in the best interest of the public they serve.
2.	 The District must maintain control on how funds are spent.
3.	The District would have to get something in return that is measurable and attainable and have control on how it comes back to the District.
All three must be met, therefore Mr. Keating advised it is not an appropriate use of public funds to pursue physician recruiting.  Mr. Yocom advised he will notify HRL that the Sabine County Hospital District will not be able to financially assist them in recruiting a physician.

VI.	Sabine County Hospital Administrator Stephen Pitts informed the Board that Preferred is attempting to finalize Rural Clinic status for Sabine Family Medicine Clinic and that actions have been taken to hasten the approval process.  He also informed the Board the Joint Accreditation Commission had surveyed the hospital and given tentative approval for Swing Bed status, pending compliance with minor deficiencies noted during the survey.

VII.	Mr. Barnett explained that item IX on the agenda is a follow up to a comment he made in last month’s meeting over reports that some of Sabine County Hospital pricing is more than twice as much as it is in other areas.  He asked if Preferred management had anything to report on the pricing differences.  Mrs. Lathrop advised she did not have anything to report but agreed to research the difference in pricing for the services at Sabine County Hospital and report back in next months meeting.  No action taken.

VIII.	Mr. Barnett asked about television’s in patient rooms.  Mr. Pitts and Mrs. Lathrop assured the Board that each room has working televisions; a cable problem in the past weeks resulted in no service but that has now been corrected.  No action taken. 

IX.	The Sabine County Hospital District is in continuing negotiations with Preferred Hospital Leasing Hemphill on contract modifications.  The amount the District will pay Preferred for Indigent Care, Charity Care and Ambulance Service for the year of 2010 has not been determined at this date.  Mr. Barnett moved to table any contract modifications to the contract until Board Members have had a chance to meet with Preferred.  Mr. McNaughten seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

X.	Mr. Willis advised the Board that he added $2000.00 to the Sabine County Hospital District 2010 budget for advertising.  No action taken.	

XI.	Mr. Willis moved to approve the letter regarding the signatories of financial accounts.  Mr. McNaughten seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

XII.	The meeting went into closed session at 7:03 p.m.

XIII.	Returned to open session at 7:11 p.m., no action upon returning to open session.

XIV.	Board Member Comment
1.	Mr. Willis – suggested the Board think about a five year plan for the improvement of health care for Sabine County.
2.	Mrs. Comeaux – Welcomed Mrs. Hammonds back as Office Manager for the District.
3.	Mr. Keating – No Comment
4.	Mrs. Hammonds – No Comment
5.	Mr. Barnett – concerned with the frequent use of Charity Care in our agreement with Preferred
6.	Mr. McNaughten – No Comment
7.	Mr. Yocom – advised the Board of an invitation to the Grand Opening for the Cardiovascular & Stroke Center, Memorial Health System of East Texas in Lufkin on Tuesday. September 29, 2009, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  

XV.	Meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.

________________________________                 _____________________________________
Phil Yocom, President				Joe McNaughten, Secretary
Sabine County Hospital District			Sabine County Hospital District
Board of Directors					Board of Directors