Hospital Authority Finances Cardiac Monitoring Unit Purchase

Monday, the Stephens County Hospital Authority approved a financing agreement to pay for new cardiac monitoring equipment that the hospital recently agreed to purchase.

Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said that while the purchase was already approved, hospital staff needed a signed resolution to be able to go through with paying for the equipment through a financing arrangement.

“We are going to enter into a financing agreement with G-E Capital,” said Gambrell. “It will be a purchase at five years fixed with an interest rate of 1.6 percent.”

According to Gambrell, the new cardiac monitoring system will cost about $700,000 and will come from G-E.

The purchase itself was first approved by the Authority in December.

Gambrell said that the new equipment will replace an older unit and give the hospital some new technology.

“Patients in the intensive care unit, plus a number of patients on medical and surgical floors will be able to be monitored by the monitor tech on duty in the intensive care unit,” said Gambrell.

Gambrell said the new equipment is not yet on site, but he says it will be installed in the next week or two.

Elsewhere, Stephens County Hospital reported a positive bottom line for the month of January in the monthly financial report delivered to the Hospital Authority.