Jonesboro

James R. Teeter
President
Arkansas Hospital Association

It's still difficult for some of us to reconcile ourselves to the unimaginable craziness of the March 24 schoolyard shootings near Jonesboro. Five people --four schoolgirls and a teacher-- were left dead. Another teacher and another nine students suffered gunshot wounds. As a horrified nation and world watched on CNN, all 15 victims were rushed to the venerable St. Bernards Regional Medical Center where physicians and technicians representing every medical specialty and sub-specialty awaited them.

Once again, in a time of community turmoil and tragedy, an Arkansas hospital came through. This time, it happened to be St. Bernards. Had it not been for this superbly administered and well-prepared medical center, the modern technology it affords, and its outstanding emergency department professionals headed by Robert Beaton, M.D., the death toll could have been much higher. To them all, we owe so much.

Governor Mike Huckabee, who visited grieving families and friends of the victims the day after the tragedy, was deeply touched by stories of the care and compassion found at St. Bernards. That evening, during an event at the Governor's Mansion, the emotionally drained governor took AHA executive vice president Phil Matthews and me aside to praise St. Bernards, and to ask that we express his appreciation to the hospital and to all other AHA members for the life-saving contributions they make every day. I have never heard more heartfelt remarks by a governor.

In the recent wake of school children killing other school children in Arkansas and elsewhere, it is difficult to believe--but encouraging, nonetheless--that school murders are actually declining. The National School Safety Center counted 55 schoolyard homicides in the 1992-93 school year, 35 in 1995-96, and 19 in 1996-97. But, while juvenile violence is declining in numbers, it seems to be growing in intensity.

This appalling fact calls for state and national searches for answers. It is heartening that Governor Huckabee has appointed a 25-member task force to help determine how to better address tragedies like the one near Jonesboro, both from a standpoint of prevention as well as from judicial response.

It's also gratifying that President Clinton has directed Attorney General Janet Reno to assemble experts on school violence to analyze these incidents, determine what they have in common, and what steps can be taken to reduce them. Perhaps they'll find that the problem goes beyond access to guns--that millions of young, impressionable minds are bombarded every day with movies, cartoons, and video games that make killing easy, even fun, with no consequences, no pain, no blood, and no grieving families left behind.

To its credit, the hospital community has not waited for government task forces to find solutions to violence. With more than 100 physicians, pharmacists, registered nurses, and other healthcare workers murdered while on the job in recent years, hospitals prefer to stop violence rather than treat its victims. They've embarked upon a number of initiatives to address violence.

Earlier this year, for instance, fourteen California hospitals organized a gun exchange in which anyone turning in a working handgun gets a $40 gift certificate redeemable at a variety of local stores. Guns are being turned in! Hospitals in Maryland are working with community organizations to develop year-round anti-violence events. Elsewhere, hospitals are establishing mentoring programs in which hospital staff and schools work with young people to curb violence. Slowly, but surely, an anti-violence mood is taking root.

We, as Arkansas healthcare leaders, must take an active role in campaigns to end violence. We and the hospitals we represent can make a difference. A huge one from which everybody benefits.

Arkansas Trustees Name Officers

At its March 20 annual meeting, the Arkansas Association of Hospital Trustees elected the following trustees as officers: John Collier, Cross County Hospital, Wynne, president; Calvin Hagan, Baptist Health, Little Rock, president-elect; Betty Massey, White River Medical Center, Batesville, secretary and North Central district representative; and Curtis Shipley, Washington Regional Medical Center, Fayetteville, will serve as the group's past- president. Also elected as district representatives were: Peggy Talkington, Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Russellville, Arkansas Valley; Ray Kordsmeier, Conway Regional Medical Center, Metropolitan; Bruce Williams, Crittenden Memorial Hospital, West Memphis, Northeast; Rob Brothers, St. Mary's Hospital, Rogers, Northwest; Lathan Hairston, Bradley Co. Medical Center, Warren, Southeast; and Susan Looper, HSC Medical Center, Malvern, Southwest.

Editor's Note: The statistical information that follows was compiled by AHA senior vice president Paul Cunningham based on information from the American Hospital Association and other sources.

Arkansas Community Hospital Financial Indicators

Source: American Hospital Association

The gap between charges for hospital services and actual payments received has widened over the past ten years. Gross patient revenues (the amount of billed charges) rose from $1.41 billion in 1986 to $4.67 billion in 1996, posting a 231.8% overall increase. Net patient revenues, the amount of payments actually received, rose only 136.3 % for the period. The difference in what is charged and what is received is known as unreimbursed care and is generally uncollectable by hospitals. That figure ballooned 556% over the decade, rising from $320 million to $2.1 billion. In 1996, more than 45% of the average hospital bill remained uncollectable.

Arkansas Newsmakers and Newcomers

Tim Hill, former CEO at Southwest Hospital in Little Rock, has accepted the position as CEO of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison. Hill succeeds Brian Clemens, who resigned to accept a position as manager of a physicians group in Oklahoma.

R. Mark Cain has been named executive director of Southwest Hospital in Little Rock where he has served as interim director since February. Cain is the former associate executive director of Midwest Regional Medical Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

Mike McCoy, CEO, Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Russellville, has been appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee to the Arkansas Trauma Advisory Council representing the Arkansas Hospital Association. He will succeed Dan Gathright, senior vice president/administrator, Baptist Medical Center, Arkadelphia, whose term expired.

Michael N. Moody, M.D., medical director of the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, has been named president of the Arkansas Medical Society. Dr. Moody also is a family practitioner on staff at Fulton County Hospital in Salem and an assistant clinical professor for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Velma A. Jones, a volunteer at Washington Regional Medical Center (WRMC), has received the Washington Regional Medical Foundation's Eagle Award for outstanding health leadership. Jones, throughout the past 35 years, has donated 48,000 hours of volunteer service at WRMC, more service than any volunteer in the organization's history.

Harrell Clendenin, vice president and administrator, Baptist Medical Center, Heber Springs, has resigned, effective March 13 to give more attention to private business ventures. Clendenin, a commercial pilot, will engage in corporate flying, cattle farming, and real estate.

Johnson Smith, administrator of Conway County Hospital in Morrilton, recently announced the hospital has undergone a name change. The new name is St. Anthony's Healthcare Center.

Among Arkansas Business' 1998 top 100 Women in Arkansas are hospital executives Jan Burford, president and CEO, CARTI, Little Rock; and Diana Hueter, president and CEO, St. Vincent Health System, Little Rock. Other Arkansas healthcare leaders honored are: Sister Judith Marie Keith, director of strategic planning, Trinity Secondary Education, Fort Smith, and former CEO, St. Edward Mercy Health System, Fort Smith; Linda Hodges, Dean, College of Nursing, UAMS, Little Rock; Sandra Nichols, M.D., director, Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock; and Sharon Allen, executive vice president and COO, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Little Rock. Diane Mackey, partner, Friday, Eldredge and Clark, and AHA legal counsel, was also honored.

Governor Mike Huckabee has appointed Spencer Honey of Arkadelphia as director of the Arkansas Health Services Agency, succeeding Orson Berry who resigned March 16. Honey is a former nursing home administrator.

Allen Smith, senior vice president, Financial Services, Baptist Health, Little Rock, was elected March 5 to the board of directors of The Virginia Insurance Reciprocal (TVIR) in Richmond, Virginia. Smith is chairman of the Arkansas Casualty Insurance Program Committee of TVIR. TVIR has 14 Arkansas subscribers.

George S. Fray, administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital Forrest City, has resigned effective April 15. No successor has been appointed.

Vincent Joseph Parrish, 74, retired director of Veterans Administration hospitals in Little Rock and North Little Rock, died February 3. Director of the Little Rock-North Little Rock facilities for 14 years, he oversaw the construction of the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock and the Eugene J. Towbin Health Care Center in North Little Rock. During his 35-year career with the VA, Parrish also served in administrative positions in Erie and Pittsburgh, Penn., Washington DC, and Saginaw, Michigan. Funeral services were held February 5, with burial in Little Rock National Cemetery.

Frank Hall, executive director of the St. Bernards Regional Medical Center Development Foundation, died at his Jonesboro home April 12.