The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—When the Columbia County Hospital District Commissioners met last week, CEO Shane McGuire discussed the progress of the hospital renovation and enhancement project.

Phase III of the renovation project will begin the week of March 27, when demolition begins for the new laboratory department. There are a few projects yet to be finished in Phase II, and McGuire said those would be accomplished by the third week in April.

Installation of the new CT scanner will begin on March 27. The old CT scanner has been sold, and will be removed from the facility on April 13.

The radiology suite is being framed, with electrical and plumbing work being performed, and sheetrock hanging, taping, sanding and painting to be done. Flooring for the new entrance will be installed by the end of March, McGuire said.

McGuire also said the human resources office and the chapel space will be ready for occupation on March 29.

Preplanning has also begun so that workflow in the new nursing station and adjacent patient rooms will remain unimpeded in Phase IV of the project.

McGuire told the commissioners that the therapy pool was down for a few days when it was discovered that the new sewer line going under the new entrance to the pool had settled, and broken away from the building. The concrete pad had to be broken up, and hand dug down to the line, he said. The line was replaced, and a new floor was poured under warranty.

Surveyors from the Washington State Department of Health paid a surprise visit to DGH on Feb. 27, as part of its hospital license study, McGuire said.

CCHS received two citations for fire and life safety deficiencies, due to tardy vendor inspections, and McGuire said he is working with the vendor to be more reliable. He said there were 20 “lower level” deficiencies that will be addressed before the May 2 deadline.

In his report, McGuire said that DGH and Kadlec Medical Center collaborated on a promotional effort for Telestroke, and Telehealth, with the help of a KEPR TV film crew. A mock stroke assessment was performed, with Commissioner Wes Leid, performing the role of an “extraordinarily compliant stroke patient,” and Dr. Lewis Neace as the attending physician.

On March 21, a film crew from FireFly filmed in the physical therapy department as part of the promotional efforts for rehabilitation services at DGH, McGuire said.

CCHS will host the Touchet Valley Pastors’ Association meeting on April 5, with a tour of the new facilities, a discussion on palliative care, and to bring the pastors up to date for providing pastoral care in the hospital.

Hospital district officials are continuing to work with the accounting firm DZA on the 2016 cost report, and they are looking forward to being notified that the cost reports are ready to submit, with final audited details, McGuire said.

The 31-page Critical Access Hospital Annual Evaluation for 2016 was presented to the commissioners and administrators by R.N. Janet Ihle, who is responsible for quality improvement at CCHS.

The CAHAE is a compilation of reports from all departments in the hospital district, and is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.