The Annual Membership Meeting of Sidney Health Center was held on Wednesday, November 18 at the Richland County Fair Event Center. Highlights of the meeting included presentations from CliftonLarsonAllen on the audited financials as well as reports from the Chief of Medical Staff, Dr. Leszek Jaszczak, Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Doty, and Board of Directors President, Lance Averett. 

Two board members were re-elected to the board including Lance Averett and Bob Burnison. Other board members include Rebecca Bradley, Stephanie Carroll, Randy Johnson, Kevin Mayer, Terry Sivertson, and Cheryl Van Every as well as Dr. Jaszczak and Dr. Brett Bennion from the Medical Staff. 

Sidney Health Center reportedly ended the fiscal year (July 2019 – June 2020) very strong financially with a 5.3% operating margin.  Federal provider relief and paycheck protection program funding provided through the CARES act allowed our margin to stay intact despite the COVID-19 shutdown of many clinic visits, surgical procedures, and outpatient services for most of the last quarter. This remarkable success can be attributed to the hard work and efforts to streamline the revenue cycle, the continued growth and expansion of services and departments meeting and in some cases exceeding their budget, turnover, employee engagement and finance goals. 

Annual employee turnover results reported a record-low of 15% for fiscal year 2020, compared to the national healthcare average of 20%. These results have continued to decline since hitting an all-time high in fiscal year 2015 of 37%. Since fiscal year 2017, the annual employee turnover rate has hovered around 18% indicating a stable workforce. Sidney Health Center is one of the largest employers in Richland County with over 500 employees amounting to salary and benefits in excess of $36.6 million. 

With COVID-19 precautions in place, the Annual Membership Meeting looked a little different compared to previous years. The location changed to the Fair Event Center to allow for social distancing as chairs were spaced 6 feet apart, facemask use was required and no meal was served. 

Other highlights that were reported included the impacts of COVID-19 to the operations of the hospital, clinic and long-term care facilities including surge-capacity planning, stocking up on personal protective equipment, COVID testing, increased communication efforts and workforce challenges. 

“Adjusting to the new normal has been a phrase repeated continuously since March and it is easier said than done,” stated Doty during her presentation. “We have all been tasked with trying to respond to an ever-changing situation where the ‘new normal’ is uncertainty with no clear end date and information is rapidly changing. I am proud of our team’s response to the pandemic and for their resiliency, collaboration, and creativity.”

Since April, almost 200 employees have been exposed, quarantined or tested positive for COVID-19. Of those 200, 62 employees have tested positive with COVID-19. One of the main concerns has always been the health and well-being of the workforce. To meet the needs of the community, staff have cross-trained to assist in short-handed departments, worked overtime, and hired traveling clinical workers including nurses, lab techs, and physicians to cover shifts. 

In closing, Doty paid tribute to leaders, medical staff and front-line workers across the organization, stating, “Our employees have been tasked with what seems like the impossible and risen to the challenge. They show up to serve and have been innovative in providing safe, high-quality care despite being exhausted and overwhelmed at times.”

Sidney Health Center is a membership organization. To become a member of Sidney Health Center, individuals and businesses pay a one-time membership fee of $100. In the last year, 10 new members joined the organization, totaling 248 individual members and 61 business memberships. To become a member or for more information, please call Kaila Roth, Executive Assistant at 488-2364 or stop in at Sidney Health Center administration. You can also visit our website at: www.sidneyhealth.org/About/Membership-Info.