TONASKET – Equipment purchases dominated the agenda at the Thursday, Jan. 12, meeting of the North Valley Hospital District’s Board of Commissioners meeting.
The best news from a financial perspective came during discussion of the purchase of 12 surplus beds and six exam tables. With an original acquisition cost of over $160,000, support services director John Boyd at first requested $16,000 for the surplus items, but had been informed that day that the cost would only be $1,650.
“These are items that come from state surplus,” Boyd said. “When they notify us (that equipment is available), if I don’t say we want them right away, they’ll be gone.
“Normally when we buy surplus we calculate 10 cents on the dollar, and I calculated $16,000. But they only charged $1,650 for all the equipment. We talked on the phone … it wasn’t (a mistake).”
The board approved the purchase of an automated microbiology system for the lab that will cut turnaround time for identifying organisms and determining correct antibiotic treatment nearly in half, from about 55 hours to 32 hours, according to lab manager Noreen Olma. The agreement will be for a 60-month lease of $49,875 with a one dollar buyout at the end of the term.
The board also approved the purchase of a Kodak document scanner for the HIM department. The cost approved was not to exceed $13,941, but the model selected was estimated to cost about $4,000 less.
Also approved were the purchase of an internet system for wireless access within the hospital and long-term care facility for $7358.92; completion of off-site computer system backup for disaster recovery for $7036.20; and flooring for the remodeled second floor of the hospital from Tonasket Interiors for $14,487.81.
In addition, the board approved the active reappointment of Heather Stortz, D.O. (Family/OB at North Valley Family Medicine); the courtesy reappointments of Joshua G. Schkrohowsky, M.D., and Teri G. Mitschelen, RNFA (both of Caribou Trail Orthopedics); and courtesy reappointments of Jacqueline Chambers, NP / Midwifery (Family Health Center) and Pedro T. Vieco, M.D. (Radiologist, Radia, Inc.).
The hospital district’s board of commissioners next meets Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. in the NVH board room.
