PMC Expands Services with Piceance Clinic

Meeker, Colorado—September 20, 2007—At the monthly meeting of the Pioneers Medical Center Board of Directors, the Directors approved the appointment of Frank Holmes, M.D. and Rob Macauley, M.D. to provide Medical Direction services to the PMC Medical Laboratory. “We are excited to have these two pathologists on board. They will be actively involved in directing PMC laboratory and pathology services” said Robert Omer, PMC CEO. “Holmes and Macauley are based at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, and provide services to a number of hospitals. This working relationship will allow us to expedite reference testing results by taking advantage of Valley View’s 24-hour services.”

Victor Mihal, D.O., PMC Chief of Staff, reported on the initial success of the Piceance Creek Clinic. The satellite clinic, which is an extension of the Meeker Family Health Center, is open on Wednesdays at the Rock School Community Building on RBC 5. During its second day of operation, 22 patients visited the Piceance Creek Clinic.

Additionally, Mihal reported the success of MFHC’s Coumadin Clinics. Coumadin is an anticoagulant medication that prevents the formation of blood clots. Since the medication is a blood thinner, patients need to be carefully monitored to stay within a prescribed range. PMC started working with about 50 patients that are receiving Coumadin, and over the past 6-months the compliance percentage has improved from 54% to 72%. “Creating a tool to help patients and physicians monitor safe and effective levels on a regular basis is having tremendous positive effects on our patients’ care and health,” said Victor Mihal, D.O.

PMC received a $95,000 grant from The Colorado Health Foundation for partial support of the planned Information Technology & Electronic Medical Records Program (IT & EMR). The IT & EMR Futures Program will streamline aspects of patient care, and create more efficient methods of managing health information throughout the continuum of care. Implementation of the program will begin in the first quarter of 2008, and be completed in 2009. “In order to take this program enterprise-wide it will cost $1.3 million,” stated Bob Omer, CEO. “This grant, along with grants from other foundations and energy companies, will help to make the new IT&EMR Program a reality.”

This coming Saturday, September 29, 2007, PMC will be sponsoring the second annual Scrub Shirt Classic 5K Run/Walk—a kick off event for the Fall Festival. Event registration begins at 8:00a.m. at the corner of 4th and Park (the elementary school playground). Registration is $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12 years. All participants will receive a scrub shirt. The Fall Festival, sponsored by Mountain Valley Bank and White River Electric Association, will begin at 11:00a.m.

The Board of Directors authorized expenditures and accounts payable disbursements for the month of September.

The next meeting of the PMC Board of Directors will be October 18, 2007 at 6:00p.m. at Pioneers Medical Center. The Board meets on the third Thursday of each month.