citizensmemorial.com 5 CMH planning for future with emergency room staffing transition As part of its strategic plan for future expansion of emergency services, Citizens Memorial Hospital assumed staffing and scheduling management for its emergency department as of Aug. 1. CMH previously contracted with Triad Physician Solutions since Aug. 1, 2019, to provide staffing management of the emergency department. “The large majority of our medical staff is employed by CMH. One exception is the emergency department,” says Michael Calhoun, CEO/Executive Director of CMH and the Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation. “The emergency department is the front door of CMH, and we want to make sure we do a great job serving the community and our patients,” Calhoun says. “Focusing on building our own group of physicians that are aligned with CMH values, we can work together to improve care. It’s an exciting time for CMH to be able to grow our emergency department to better fit the needs of the community. The only change the community should see is improved service.” The physicians and advanced practice providers who will be staffing the CMH emergency department include: Jeffrey K. Smieshek, D.O.; Jordan Gipson, M.D.; Nathaniel Pearl, D.O.; Daniel Barnes, M.D.; Ryan Hunsel, M.D.; Nathan Walter, M.D.; Brandi Hume, PA-C; Jamie Schoolcraft, PA-C; and EstherTrammell, NP-C. Andrew Nicholes, D.O., is the interim medical director. Additional medical staff are being recruited and will be added in the coming months. A new emergency department is part of a $77 million future building project to upgrade and expand the hospital. The new ER will have 21 patient rooms, compared to 12 currently, and will be able to care for more than 70 patients daily. CMH is a Level III Trauma Center, Level II STEMI Center and Level III Stroke Center providing emergency care to patients in its eight-county service area. FOR MORE INFORMATION about events to celebrate the 40th anniversary, go to cmhbolivar.info/40. For more information about CMH history, go to citizensmemorial.com/about/history.html. We provide a large breadth of services at CMH.” CMH’s future includes looking for ways to continue providing services, such as expanded services to other communities within the service area, how to increase dialysis services in Bolivar and the feasibility of a new longterm care facility in Bolivar. “The strength of this organization is in the people,” Calhoun says. “During the last 40 years, we have had visionary leadership. Along with that is an amazing health care team that has a lot of institutional knowledge. We have a great team that is going to be able to move us into the future.” Rural Development and $19.25 million in loans from local banks will fund the $77 million project. “The planned expansion of the hospital facility has been developing over the past several years with hospital leadership, the board of directors and the community,” says Kyle Wilkins, USDA Rural Development state director. “All are supportive of this project, and USDA Rural Development is proud to provide funding.” The hospital opened in September 1982 with funding from the USDA Farmers Home Administration, a predecessor to USDA Rural Development. CMH has partnered with USDA for low-interest loans for several projects during its 40-year history, but this is the largest project. “This funding from USDA is a loan we have to pay back, but it is at a lower interest rate than traditional loans,” Calhoun says. “We are planning for the future to ensure that we can continue providing highquality health care close to home for the next 40 years.” FOR MORE INFORMATION about the emergency department at CMH, visit citizensmemorial.com or call 417-326-6000.
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