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Rhea Medical Center board minutes: spine program grows, new oncologist, opioid-abatement purchases approved
Summary
Rhea Medical Center's Oct. 20 board minutes (read into county record) describe a small net income for September, credentialing approvals for physicians, expansion of the spine surgery program, hire of a new oncologist, and approval of opioid-abatement purchases totaling $77,204.
The Rhea Medical Center Board reported modest financial results for September and several operational updates in minutes read into the Rhea County Commission record on Dec. 16.
According to the board minutes, the hospital posted a net income of approximately $28,000 for September, supported in part by $25,000 of physician-practice income. The finance report noted outpatient revenue lagging budget while inpatient revenue was up slightly, and the facility was addressing higher salary costs tied to overtime and callbacks. The board accepted credentialing and reappointment actions and approved several new medical staff appointments.
Board materials and discussion highlighted the hospital’s spine surgery program, which had completed 12 spine cases to date; administrators said early patient feedback was positive even as the program continues to adjust operationally. The minutes note a new oncologist, Dr. Meera Ravindranathan, began seeing patients Oct. 15.
In new business, the board approved purchases funded by opioid-abatement dollars totaling $77,204: Pyxis anesthesia workstations ($52,280), Healthsight diversion management software ($14,940 billed at $1,245/month) and conversion of the ER Pyxis station to a profiled unit ($9,984). The board authorized those purchases at the Oct. 20 meeting.
Why it matters: the spine program’s early surgical volume and the onboarding of a new oncologist suggest changes in service mix, while opioid-abatement purchases reflect targeted investments in medication storage and diversion prevention.
