Health Department Advisory Board Meeting
July 24, 2013    4PM
    Dr. Paul Hesse, vice chairman led the meeting as Ginny
Barnard, who is in extension, is busy this month with the Riley County Fair.
    Brenda Nichols, Health Department Administrator, reported
what she termed “good news” that the Riley County Commissioners
had approved the budget without any changes. The Commissioners
noted that the mil levy will be 1.9 points higher and that this
was primarily because the County took on the total responsibility for the Health Department from the prior cooperative City/County support.  The budget is at about 3.7 million dollars for the year and grants provide about 70% of the budget.  Ms. Nichols noted that the year was started with $50,000 or a little bit above.  She complimented Paula Pederson, Office Manager(since February), for her work concerning past billing for Medicaid and Medicare which has required much research. She is now ready to do some past billing for 2011 and 2012 seeking reimbursement for past services.
    New paper work had to be submitted. With the new insurance systems coming in and because of the change in the name of the Health Department, designation as an approved health care provider had to be reinstated.  There is a time limit on billing so that regaining reimbursement for 2011 is somewhat “iffy” but worth trying.   
    Karen McCulloh suggested that a letter of thanks be sent to the Commissioners as funding is very tough at this time and everyone is trying to keep funding flat.  Their support of the Health Department is vital and very welcome.  Debbie Nuss offered to write the letter and submit it to Ginny Barnard as Chair of the Committee and to do it as a Letter to the Editor so that the public will also know about the funding issues.
    Ms. Nichols also noted that staff is working on simplifying the web site emphasizing the ability of the clinic to accept, Medicaid, Medicare, other insurances, credit cards, and that the
clinic sliding scale goes to zero and that no one is ever turned away.   Further activities include surveying the use of the buildings and Ms. Nichols estimates that 30% of the buildings are being used for storage of old records and the like.  Ms. Nichols feels that the Health Department has programs that could be using those rooms.  The Wharton Manor building is using both floors and there is some possibilities of consolidating some programs and making the second floor available to other County
needs.     
    The question as to the best operating hours for the Department especially as to the current closing of the Health Department at noon on Friday was discussed at length. Ms. Nichols noted that in her experience when problems occur it is often on a Friday afternoon. The Health Department is currently open until 7 PM on Thursdays. Dr. Hesse noted that when outbreaks or other Public Health issues occur often it is on a Friday afternoon and it has been difficult to make contact.  Karen McCulloh noted that the hours had been an issue for 20 years.  It is important, she stated, that the Health Department be available when people have health issues and with both parents working frequently these issue become apparent at 5 or later in the evening. Discussion continued with a suggestion that hours for staff be more flexible and even possibly the clinic should be open Saturday morning for a while and see how that would benefit the community. Ms. Nichols responded that the role of Public Health, i.e. “Protection, Prevention, and Preparedness” as well as “Promotion of Public Health” may not justify being open all Saturdays but certainly many times programs and outreach will occur on weekends and evenings.
    Next, Susan Reed, Executive Director of the Flint Hills Clinic was introduced. Ms. Reed’s presentation is a follow up from last meeting’s visit with the Konza Clinic in Junction City, a Federal Qualified Health Clinic or FQHC as the committee focuses  on the meeting of primary care needs in the community.
    At the Flint Hills Clinic all the services are free and all services are provided by volunteers.  There are two paid positions, that of Executive Director and Patient Coordinator. Patients must be uninsured and at 100% of the poverty level or lower and must live in Riley County. Those living in the  part of the city out of county are not eligible.  The clinic has about 140 volunteers including two Doctors and can refer to specialists in Manhattan, Topeka, and Kansas City who also do accept patients on a charity basis. Most of their clients are the “working poor” and are not people “living off the system”. Frequently clients are helped to apply for benefits and insurance that they did not realize were available to them. Several volunteering social workers work with this. Some medications are kept in stock because it has been found that clients sometimes have to wait two weeks until they get paid before they can pay for the $4 medication which is needed immediately. The clinic is open about 12 hours a week. Ms. Nichols expressed interest in visiting the clinic and especially seeing if there is duplication of services. 

Submitted by Sue Cohen