Thursday, May 16, 2013

Karen Fletchall Resigns as WCCC Administrator

Karen Fletchall resigned as the WCCC administrator, Board President Mike Hall told the Sheridan Express Thursday morning (May 16th). Former Director of Nursing Bev Miller will serve as interim administrator and will appoint an interim Director of Nursing from the staff; the board left it to her discretion. Miller began her duties last Friday (May 10th). If she takes and passes a test, then she can become a full-time administrator. The WCCC is required to have an administrator and a director of nursing, but one person cannot serve as both simultaneously. The director of nursing must work a full time 40 hours a week, even for a small facility like the WCCC. Board members declined to discuss specifics related to Fletchall's departure.

For the last two years, board members Kathy Miller and Becky Baker had grilled Fletchall at regular WCCC Board meetings on issues related to accounting and finances extensively; meetings would frequently last as late as 10 or 11 at night.

Bev Miller attended her first meeting as interim administrator at a special meeting held Wednesday night (May 15th). One of Miller's first duties will be to create a chain of command for the staff. She said this would allow employees to know who their immediate supervisor was and allow residents and family members to know who to contact when they needed something.

Work is being done on the sidewalk in the back around the gazebo. The new concrete is now ready to pour. These are remedies that were required by the state. The facility rented a skid loader from Worth County Lumber and Bill Calhoon came and moved out all the old concrete.

Immediate problems were discussed relating to the facility's services. The facility has had to turn away four prospective outpatient customers due to there not being a physical therapist available. They are looking for a physical therapist assistant as the current one is leaving.

Administrator Miller said that it was not about her, but that it was all about the employees and the staff at the facility. As one of her first acts, she organized an employee appreciation luncheon Thursday afternoon and honored all of the employees for their service to the facility. She said that she would be making gradual changes to the operation.

One change will be to train employees on how to meet the budget. Miller said that the employees had not had training on how to adjust their budgets when the census was not what was budgeted for. Now, employees will be expected to adjust their spending depending on the census and justify any expenses that are over budget. She did not promise any quick fixes, but she said that things could be turned around with the help and cooperation of the staff. Miller said that she had gotten total cooperation from the staff and board member Becky Baker promised the support of the board.

Plans for developing a set of written policies were discussed, such as how much could be spent without board approval. "It's about some fundamental stuff," said Baker. "It's a statement of how we as a facility do business."

Miller said that while she was promising no quick fixes, she felt that things were already getting better. Challenges for the facility include balancing the budget (currently spending $170 per resident per day according to figures presented at the meeting), maintaining their five star rating as recognized by US News and World Report, meeting the medical needs of the community such as physical therapy and other services offered, and reversing a long-term decline of residents.

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