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BroMenn ends affiliation with Woodford Co.
By J.W. Shults
jwshults@mtco.com
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EUREKA -- BroMenn Healthcare System will end its 17-year role operating Woodford County’s health department, the only hospital-managed department in Illinois.

The Woodford County Board has until Dec. 1 to decide what functions will continue and how they will be paid for, said County Administrator Greg Jackson.

“All indications are now that we will make the change as transparent as possible, without missing a step and not compromising on services,” said Jackson.

The full financial effect, including transferring BroMenn employees to the county’s payroll, is unknown.

The health department has been maintained and housed in the Eureka Community Hospital campus since 1990. This summer, the department is set to move into an office on South Main Street. Hospital administrator Anna Laible said the time is right to make the transition.

“They need to be able to set up their systems independent of the hospital systems,” said Laible.

The county paid BroMenn an annual management fee $673,000 this year, but the contract has not been a money-maker for the hospital, which uses its own human resources and information technology departments and other services.

“We have to continue to look at our own internal operations to be efficient and utilize our resources as effectively as possible,” said Laible. “It is not our core business to run a health department.” Those ancillary costs of operating the department — including professional liability insurance — now will fall to the county.

Woodford County Board Chairman John Krug has formed a committee of three board members to review the transition and make recommendations to the county board about program maintenance. The Board of Health makes operational decisions for the department, but the county board makes funding decisions, ultimately choosing which programs to maintain.

Both Jackson and Laible said they hope the department’s nine employees will make the transfer from BroMenn to the county, but ultimately the choice is their own. Laurie Schierer, director of the health department, said she plans to continue in that role.

Core programs

To maintain a certified health department, four programs must be active:

• Administration: Managing employees, assessing community needs and ensuring health regulations are observed;

• Communicable disease: Investigating illnesses within the community, testing for diseases such as tuberculosis and operating immunization and vaccine clinics;

• Water/septic: Examining systems for homeowners and test for water safety;

• Food: Conducting inspections of all 83 food establishments within Woodford County at least twice annually and also licensing about 100 temporary food vendors at local festivals.

Non-core programs

The Woodford County Health Department operates several programs that are not required, but have been added as a community service. Many are funded through state and federal grants. They include:

• Komen Foundation breast cancer support group;

• Tobacco prevention, offering smoking cessation classes and school programs;

• Vector Program traps and testing of mosquitoes for West Nile virus;

• Free dental sealants to eligible children;

• Women, Infants, Children (WIC) program offering nutrition and food supplements;

• Family Case Management of medical case reviews for children in foster care;

• Teen parent services supporting teen mothers to keep them in school;

• Radon testing kits and evaluation;

• Tanning bed safety inspections;

• Bio-terrorism, including formation of the Medical Reserve Corps for medical volunteers in case of emergency.

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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

////////// wrote on Jul 5, 2007 9:51 PM:

" i just had surgery at bromenn and got the bills dont tell me they are not makeing money i never could believe some of the prices they charge no wonder insurance cost are high "

Snippy Letter Society wrote on Jul 5, 2007 9:03 PM:

" Did the Ecumenical super Giants drop the Pantagraph Staff to their knees? "

Layoffs wrote on Jul 5, 2007 3:45 PM:

" Where's the story about the Bromenn layoffs? 10% of the workforce is a pretty big deal and the public deserves to know!! "

Garfield wrote on Jul 5, 2007 3:38 PM:

" This has been an excellent program with a lot of funding in the form of federal and state grants. I would hope that the county would continue it in as near to its present form as possible. These people are all professionals. Most are college educated in their chosen field. Don't try to nickle-dime them because it is now a government agency. If after 9 months or a year something isn't working correctly, make changes that reflect an evaluation based on professional standards. "
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