Alva Review-Courier -

A highlight of the Kiowa District Hospital (KDH) Board retreat for some members was meeting with community leaders.

On Jan. 8 the board started their retreat at the hospital, visiting with department managers on a tour of departments. As board secretary Jim Parker reported in his minutes of the retreat, managers updated the board on their accomplishments for 2018 and their expectations and needs for 2019. The board heard the managers' capital equipment needs.

All board members attended the retreat including: Pat Myers, president; Chantae Simpson, Jeff Miller, Miranda Allen and Jim Parker. CEO Robert Whitaker and CFO Janell Goodno also attended, as did most of the department managers.

The group toured the Kiowa Manor, meeting with administrator John Fonang and his department heads, hearing their capital equipment needs.

The remainder of the retreat was at Kiowa's United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. It's there they had invited community leaders to come and speak with them. They visited with Adam Maloney, elementary building coordinator; Lou Leone, Kiowa City administrator; Janet Robison, chamber co-president; Reverend Ken Bowden of the Kiowa Ministerial Alliance; and Judy Schrock, president of the Friends of the KDH Hospital and Manor Foundation.

Parker said the board and community leaders discussed how they can work together for the mutual benefit and betterment of Kiowa. Topics discussed included: Med Evac insurance, school nurses, mental health, veteran’s health care, help paying for prescriptions, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

Whitaker said he would like to do some community education on various topics and educate the public about resources inside and outside the facility. When asked later to list some of those services available, Whitaker said: behavioral health, nutrition counseling, and chronic disease care to name a few.

Schrock said the foundation employed a person to help with grants and fundraising for the PT/Behavioral Health addition at the hospital. “Tax credits have been a great help to the foundation’s fundraising,” Schrock said.

Philip Anton, IT manager, educated the board on the technology changes and challenges in 2018, as well as 2019 risks and planned mitigation, projects and strategic planning.

To end the retreat, the board held a nearly two-hour executive session to discuss strategic planning initiatives. No action was taken before the meeting ended at 1:40 p.m.