Trustees extend Frontier Medical Group's interim contract for three months, ask provider for service list

Trustees voted to extend the district's interim medical services contract with Frontier Medical Group for three months, setting a termination date of Aug. 31, 2025, and stipulating that payment will be made only after the district receives a signed contract.

The extension passed by voice vote after a motion to renew the same contract terms for three months and a second. Board members emphasized the need to negotiate a permanent contract and asked the contractor to provide a written description of the medical services it can and is willing to provide within current staffing and funding.

Dr. Govind Coker, identified at the meeting as the Frontier clinician in attendance, told trustees he expected the meeting to help the parties define services and said he would provide a layperson-friendly list of what the clinic can perform under its current resources. "I thought that part of today's meeting was going to be for the board to give us some direction ... so we could, you could give us a list of what you needed and we could tell you if we could do that based upon the monies that we have and the staff that we have," Coker said.

Trustees and board counsel emphasized that the contractor must provide a clear scope of services and associated costs before a permanent agreement can be completed. Counsel advised the contractor to list the types of procedures and whether services will be in-person or via telehealth so trustees can evaluate costs and expectations.

Trustees also discussed prior allegations regarding prescription handling that had been raised at earlier meetings. Board members and counsel said that investigatory boards (for example, the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy) require a formal complaint with factual details before the board can initiate an inquiry. The board did not initiate any disciplinary action during the meeting; rather, trustees encouraged potential complainants to file complaints with the appropriate state boards and shared contact information to do so.

Board members agreed that the extension would be signed immediately so Frontier could be paid for services rendered during the interim period; Andrea (staff) and others agreed to circulate the contract electronically for signatures after the meeting.