When Tenet took over the operations of the Hi-Desert Medical Center this summer, the healthcare district not only changed its name, but its focus, too. The chief executive officers for both the newly named Morongo Basin Healthcare District and hospital spoke to about 200 people in attendance at last week’s meeting of the State of the Basin in Yucca Valley. Managing editor Tami Roleff was at the presentation, and says there was lots of good news…
“We have a different function now; our role in the district is to actually look at health and wellness of the community and the people in the community.” CEO Jackie Combs says the healthcare district has two clinics that offer a variety of services for residents. “Primary care for adults; in Yucca Valley we have a pediatric clinic, and in Twentynine Palms, chiropractic services and dental services; we actually have four dental chairs in Twentynine Palms.” Randall Kelley is the Interim CEO of the hospital and says Tenet is investing $32 million. “$12 million of that in technology, $5 million of that in physician recruitment, and the balance in capital equipment that the hospital desperately needs.” But there’s another problem the hospital plans to address: “There’s a tremendous disparity between what we pay for nursing and pharmacy and radiology staff as compared to what you find down the hill, to the tune of $6 to as much as $9 per hour.” Which is good news for local health care professionals. “We are working on a plan right now that will allow us to close that gap almost entirely, making it possible for people who are already local in terms of residency to choose to stay local in terms of career options.” Reporting for Z107.7, this is managing editor Tami Roleff.
STATE OF THE BASIN: MORONGO BASIN HEALTHCARE DISTRICT AND HI-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER
