SOUTHEAST MISSOURI HOSPITAL EXPANDS SERVICES, FACILITIES IN 1995

Southeast Missouri Hospital put a lot of effort into making the region a healthier place to live in 1995, said administrator James Wente.

"The initial things that we do involve direct patient care and meeting the community's medical care needs," Wente said. "But we've tried to get involved improving the overall health of the community."

Toward that end, the hospital staff has been directly involved in the CHART (Community Health Assessment Resource Team) project and in the Community Caring Council's community asset-mapping project, both of which are aimed at improving quality of life in Cape Girardeau County.

Community health projects are endorsed by the American Hospital Association and in the original Clinton health care reform plan, Wente said.

"The hospital is here because of the community. We're here because the community needs a good hospital, and in the case of Cape Girardeau, it needs two good hospitals," he said.

In July, the hospital assumed ownership of the Main Street Fitness Center in Jackson.

The hospital continues to expand its wellness programs with educational opportunities and offerings on such subjects as weight control, stopping smoking and disease management.

The hospital has 1,400 employees, a $130 million budget and a $35 million payroll.

In October, Southeast expanded its Foot Clinic services, adding the services of medical staff to evaluate new patients and refer them to specialists if necessary.

The clinic operates in Jackson and Cape Girardeau and sees about 50 patients a month.

In December, Physical Therapy Associates was added to Southeast's Rehabilitation Services.

The facility, at 60 Doctors Park, will remain as an outpatient facility.

Staff will share responsibility for acute care services in the hospital, outpatient services and Pediatric SPOT, which provides speech, physical and occupational therapy services for children.

Establishment of MedAmerica HealthNet Inc., the region's first physician-hospital organization (PHO) was another highlight for 1995.

"It was received well by the community," Wente said. "Quite a lot of interest was expressed by local businesses in this product, which was competitively priced and offers a very comprehensive network of physicians and hospitals."

The network, which teamed up with Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield to offer HealthNet Blue, a point of service health care coverage program, represents more than 20,000 people, including about 2,500 state employees.

MedAmerica HealthNet includes Southeast Missouri, Dexter Memorial Hospital, Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Perry County Memorial Hospital, St. Francis Medical Center and their medical staffs.

More than 200 physicians are represented in the network.

Progress on the hospital's construction program is "wonderful, and the best part about construction is it's going to be over this year," Wente said.

Construction started in February on the third and final phase of the hospital's development plan.

The $5.9 million phase includes construction of a new 20,000-square-foot lobby with a mezzanine level and restaurant, a courtyard and remodeling of areas within the hospital.

Wente said the lobby should be completed by Independence Day and the interior remodeling by Labor Day.

"We're just very happy about that," he said. "It's going to be so nice to just be able to focus on running the hospital and not having to work around the dust and the construction."

Internally, Wente said, the hospital staff has continued its focus on quality management in working to cut costs and maintain quality patient care.

"I think we're addressing change in a very calculated, systematic way," he said.

1996 should be "a real year of celebration," Wente said with the completion of the building project and continued development of MedAmerica HealthNet.

"We look forward to seeing the services of that organization continue to grow," he said.