Name: Melanie Leiann Sturgeon

Occupation: Phlebotomist

Relevant experience: Jan 2018 — present: Grays Harbor Community Hospital 2, Position 2 Commissioner. Began training/entered the medical field in 1997. Have worked as a prior authorization coordinator, phlebotomist, medical assistant and clinical coordinator.

1. Grays Harbor Community Hospital serves a population that often ranks high in terms of chronic health problems and has a high percentage of patients who pay with government-backed insurance. On top of that, recruitment of health professionals has been a long-time problem. Given those conditions, what actions can the board take to overcome those obstacles?

It is important to understand the close symbiotic relationship between the drivers of economic growth/development and how it can either positively or negatively impact the services that Grays Harbor Community Hospital provides.

Approximately 75-80% of the patients that our hospital treats have either a Medicare, Medicaid or HMO type insurance policy. Unfortunately, as it stands, these policies do not allow our hospital to receive cost base reimbursement. In fact, they reimburse our hospital at a greatly reduced rate. Because there is such an imbalance between the patients we see with private pay insurances; (ie: Cigna, Regence, Premera, etc.); and those who carry state or government issued insurance policies, it is extremely challenging to meet our hospital’s overall financial goals.

Having said this, I really must thank our board for supporting our executive team and the associated staff at our hospital. To address this question, our board supported our executive team when they applied for and received approval to get our outside associated clinics reclassified as rural health care clinics. By doing so, it has allowed our clinics to receive cost-based reimbursement from our Medicaid payors, such as Amerigroup, Community Health Plan, etc.

In addition, our board has continued to support our executive team, who has worked tirelessly with our legislators. By doing so, it has given our legislators a sound reason for extending the Budget Proviso in this year’s Washington State Operating Budget. This extension has positively affected the reimbursement rates for all observation and inpatients stays in our hospital thus, allowing us to more closely meet the costs it takes to deliver quality health care to you.

It is also important to remember that throughout this entire time, our hospital has never stopped our recruiting efforts. We offer competitive wages to both providers, (MD’s, DO’s, ARNP, PA-C’s) etc., and nurses. These are just some of the ways that our board has worked to improve this overall situation.

2. What are your ideas for a strategy that will put the hospital on better financial ground?

Grays Harbor Community Hospital knows that volumes drive sustainability. The more patients who use our services the more financially stable our organization can become. By taking advantage of the savings from the refinancing of our debt at a reduced interest rate Grays Harbor Community Hospital has been able to expand upon the services that we offer to the public.

For example, since June 2019, we opened our new diagnostic cardiac unit and more recently, we have upgraded our mammography services from 2D to 3D imaging. As the only Level III trauma center West of the Olympia area, it is our obligation to provide our patients with not only essential medical services, but also 24/7 general surgery care and 24/7 orthopedic care. I believe that it is incumbent upon our hospital to not only maintain these services, but to also expand upon the services that we already offer the public. By doing so, it would be a catalyst for growth and help to stimulate and enrich our provider and staff recruiting efforts.

3. In terms of priorities, what direction would you, as a commissioner, give the hospital administration?

I would continue to support the efforts toward deficit reduction and to reach profitability. I would also support continued recruiting efforts as well as encourage the expansion of the medical services that we already offer the community. Lastly, I would also encourage further public outreach throughout the district so the public could further participate in our hospital’s growth and success.