HMH CEO delivers report to Board of Directors

During meeting of the Howard Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, CEO Debra Wright reported 77 patients have been admitted to HMH with COVID-19. She stated 136 employees have been tested and 44 were positive as of January 18.

Wright said 46 employees have received their first and second doses of the COVID vaccine. She said 24 others have received the first dose and 11 employees are on a waiting list to receive the first dose.

Wright stated the remodeling of the new space on South Fourth Street for the Pediatric Therapy Center is going well and foundation has received over $11,000 in commitments for the purchase of equipment for the facility.

Wright said the conversion of the negative pressure rooms have been completed, as well as the door replacement in the emergency department and garage door on the storage building.

Wright reported with the completion of the negative pressure rooms, the hospital is now able to offer Monoclonal Antibody Therapy. She said HMH ordered 30 doses but only received 24 on January 25. Wright said this therapy has been very effective in preventing the progression of COVID in regards to hospitalization.

Wright announced the Arkansas Department of Health completed their review of the hospitals application for license renewal for the Nuclear Medicine Radioactive Materials License.

And, Wright informed the board that she wrote a letter to UA Cossatot Steve Cole encouraging him to consider adding a two-year respiratory therapy program degree at Cossatot. She said there is a shortage of respiratory therapist, due to the COVID pandemic.