Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center trustees last week welcomed new chief of staff, Dr. Brett Ferman, an emergency room physician.
Ferman succeeds Dr. Dany Haddad in the hospital post.
During the public session of the board meeting, trustees:
• Approved the purchase request of a Baxter IV pump wireless network for $157,528. The cost also includes $35,000 for the network to include the Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello. The board also approved equipment for the network from G.E. Capital.
• Approved an extended lease with DMS Imaging for $19,428 for MRI equipment.
• Agreed to a 60-month software lease from Transcription Professional Services for $898,246. The system will allow doctors to dictate and transcribe by voice activation.
• Agreed to dispose of obsolete equipment.
• Heard the treasurer’s report that Southwest expenses were $6,251,724 for the month, with disbursements slightly above normal.
• Heard the proposed bad debt reports of $171,080 and $2.07 million for Southwest, around the same as last year, officials said.
• Agreed to renew commercial automobile insurance with Union Standard through Liberty Insurance.
• Agreed to renew the medical system’s current workers compensation agreements.
In closed session the board discussed:
• Committee reports, services agreement, hospital-based provider group services agreement, master services agreement, clinical and revenue cycle assessment proposal, physician employment agreement renewal, nurse practitioner employment agreement and report from the hospital attorney.
• Heard the chief of staff’s report concerning medical staff executive committee minutes, quality management oversight committee minutes, pertinent review for committee and service business review. The board also approved a list of contracts and staff reappointments, and approved a request to change staff status for a pediatrician from consulting to active staff.
• Other contracts dealt with employment in pathology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, nurse practitioner, and physicians in tele-radiology, and discussed the hospital’s active shooter response plans.
