Stephens Co. Hospital Authority Meets

Stephens County Hospital will be upgrading some of its software in the emergency department.

Monday, the Stephens County Hospital Authority unanimously approved the leasing of new electronic medical records software for the hospital’s emergency department.

Hospital Administrator Lynne Anderson said they are looking to replace software that is more than 10 years old.

“We currently have an electronic medical records system in the emergency department that is quite old and it is only functioning right now at around 60 to 70 percent,” said Anderson. “The manufacturer does not support it any longer and it is time to replace that system. We have looked at three or four of the top systems out and a committee of emergency department staff and administration have recommended that we replace that system and the board approved that.”

The new software will be leased by the hospital from a company called Wellsoft at a cost to Stephens County Hospital of $7,600 per month.

Anderson said it is a 60-month lease, which she adds is common with software because of how quickly it can become obsolete.

Also on Monday, Anderson said the Stephens County Hospital Authority voted unanimously to give permission for the hospital to do what is necessary to get one of its endoscopes back up and running.

“We have two endoscopes,” said Anderson. “These are what we use for colonoscopies. One of them is not working at the moment, so we are going to try and have it repaired. If we cannot get it repaired, then we are going to replace it.”

In a third action item on Monday, the Stephens County Hospital Authority voted unanimously to have blow-in insulation put in at the Clary and Wilkinson Centers at a cost of about $32,600.

Anderson said they have had pipes freeze at those facilities and as a result, feel like the insulation work is necessary.

Funding for that will come from monies with the Stephens County Hospital Foundation.