Clinic groundbreaking set for Sept. 1

by Bill Boender

The Sublette County Rural Health Care Board met in Pinedale Monday, July 24, in a session lasting only an hour. Director Randy Johnson gave the board an update on the status of employee searches, noting that one new physician will be interviewed in August, along with the top four candidates for the new position of clinic administrator. The board directed Johnson to look at other applicants from that pool to fill two new positions for practice managers at each clinic. These positions will be responsible for business and financial operations.

Johnson noted that there has been a remarkable improvement in cooperation with both clinic and emergency medical service personnel now that operations are consolidated under board management and thanked the people involved for their commitment to seeing that the changes underway proceed smoothly.

Regarding building projects, Johnson advised that the new ambulance barn is coming along as projected. Meetings with the architect and contractor for the new Pinedale Medical Clinic continue, with a final price to be presented in August and a groundbreaking ceremony expected to be announced for September first.

The board approved a policy allowing the new Emergency Medical Technician Council to extend employment offers without prior board approval. This policy will be in effect for a 90-day trial period before becoming permanent.

Johnson requested permission from the board to increase the salary schedule for new physicians to make recruiting and retention easier, noting that current employees will need raises to match the new schedule. New starting salaries for general practitioners will be in excess of $200,000 per year while pediatricians will start at more than $150,000 per year.

Other changes approved by the board include two new administrative positions with one to handle personnel and benefits and another to handle purchasing and inventory control. A single medical director will be responsible for all EMT personnel in the future rather than having one for each clinic.

Moving to executive session, the board terminated the employment of one EMT but did not announce a name or reason for that termination.