Moving into his fourth year as Trigg Couny Emegency Management Services Director this upcoming January, Jason Meador presented the Trigg County Hospital Board of Trustees a considerable report Thursday evening — one that showed considerable growth and support from all angles.
The county’s ambulance service now has five in the fleet, four of them brand new.
Along with the revamping of the vehicles themselves, came the time for new cardiac monitors. Meador noted four such state-of-the-art units were snagged one year ago — replacing those that had met the end of their life.
Meador said these cardiac monitors offer specific data, and allow EMTs, paramedics and drivers to embrace technology and communication like never before — and eventually, it will create valuable improvement and upgraded life-saving measures in mobile health and emergency response.
Along with these new monitors, came the installation of Wi-Fi routers in four boxes. Meador said this allows for improved cell phone coverage in about 90% of the county — and allows for ease of communication with dispatch, the hospital or other first-responding agencies.
They were also required for the full extension of these cardiac monitors, which when fully operational will allow for drivers and such to contact emergency personnel or even doctors and physicians awaiting to triage a victim back in the emergency room.
By the end of this fiscal year, Meador added that the last manual stretcher will be replaced to an improved standard. Furthermore, he said an online program is allowing staff to accrue serious training hours without having to create meetings that increase salaries and/or generate overtime costs.
With 24 employees on staff, Meador said morale was good, but three positions remain open at this time.
As such, Trigg County will be hosting an EMT class from January-July 2023 at the EOC. Costing $1,000 per person, Meador said 12 have already signed up for the class — including four from Trigg County, and five from Stewart County — and he’d like to see the group at 15 persons. He and six other instructors will be teaching the course.
The hope here is to perhaps hire another PRN from this pool to assist Trigg’s ranks. The deadline to apply is December 31.
From the desk of Hospital President/CEO John Sumner:
— Both the Main Street Rural Health Clinic and the hospital’s new private room wing are nearly complete.
Sumner said the former Save On Drugs building needs a few light touches, including its sign installed, before Dr. Ellie Jolly can occupy it. Once she returns from a honeymoon, Sumner said to expect a ribbon-cutting on or near February 1, and that they’re still looking for a nurse practitioner to share the space.
The hospital may also have its ribbon-cutting on or near February 1, as the last 30-to-60 days have brought considerable progress to the project. Sumner said crews are already painting, installing ceiling grid and working on HVAC.
— Trustees approved the purchase of two very large pieces of chemistry lab equipment, totaling $201,000.02 and a five-year maintenance agreement that’s free for the first two years, but $28,000 annually in the final three.
Lab Director Allison Carroll said the new instrumentation will be responsible for more than 80% of the hospital’s testing efforts of things like electrolytes, cardiac markers, thyroid levels and such. The old machines being replaced are seven years old, which she said is two years overdue.
