McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Local News

May 7, 2009

MRHC seeking doctors

By MARKETTA JOHNSON

staff writer

At the McAlester Regional Health Center Authority meeting on Wednesday, the top priority was finding new doctors.

The board is looking to add two additional OB/GYN’s to the staff at MHRC, as two doctors are moving from the area and are not accepting new clients. The board hopes to begin recruitment efforts soon.

Another concern for the board is the fact that emergency room visits, as well as hospital admittance numbers, are down.

Hospital visits across the country are down by about 5 percent; however, the decrease at MHRC seems to be slightly higher than the national average, according to MRHC CEO Shaun Beggs.

Competition could be a factor, Beggs said. He thinks some patients are visiting the McAlester Urgent Care Clinic. McAlester Urgent Care provides affordable, faster care for non-emergency medical needs. The clinic is staffed by physician assistants and nurse practitioners who treat common illnesses or injuries. The clinic is at 727 E. Wyandotte Ave.

Cost could be another factor.

More people are forgoing a visit to the emergency room because they can’t afford it. Also, it seems fewer doctors are admitting patients for hospital stays, officials said.

Dr. Leroy Milton, M.D., an internal medicine physician with the McAlester Warren Clinic, believes the reasons behind the sharp decrease are cause for alarm and need more investigation.

However, according to Beggs, Dr. Chad Crawley and Dr. Patrick Gannon have seen the number of patients visiting their offices tick upward.

In other action, the board approved the monthly financial report. They also approved a measure that would transfer retirement funds from an ING bank plan to other accounts. Employees will have the option to withdraw their money, with penalties, or to reinvest their money with Valic or another tax-deferred plan.

The board gave the OK to a plan that could help prevent identity theft. MHRC plans to buy software and provide more staff training to help prevent identity theft.

The board also passed a resolution allowing financing for renovation of the old Choctaw Nation Health Clinic on Monroe with financing through BancFirst. MHRC officials say the additional space will provide office space for new physicians and health care staff in the future.

A measure for the approval of the annual safety and emergency plan was tabled until the June meeting.

Contact Marketta Johnson at mjohnson@mcalesternews.com.

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