GRH board learns of increase in COVID cases

During its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Greater Regional Board of Trustees was made aware of Union County’s growing positivity rate, which Union County Public Health Director Zach Woods attributed to the Omicron variant.

“Omicron, definitely a more contagious variant here,” said Woods. “That’s about 100% county-wide and 85% state wide of Omicron is what we’re seeing here. Public health-wise, those positive tests are distributed pretty evenly across age groups in Union County, too. So age groups zero through 69, ... affects ages about the same there.”

Woods reported 112 new cases in Union County from Jan. 14 to 20, pushing the county’s 7-day positivity rate to 19.3%.

“Which is a pretty significant hike,” Woods said.

Woods said the state’s 7-Day positivity rate is at 24.8%. Vaccination status of Union County is at 49.4%.

Vice Chair Jack Davis asked if one variant was more severe than the other. Woods said, the Centers for Disease Control published information stating that Omicron is less severe.

“It doesn’t impact people like the Delta did. That was the dominant variant before Omicron,” Woods said. “Omicron, however, is more contagious, much more contagious.”

Woods said what’s unfortunate about Omicon is that it’s breaking through vaccines more easily than anything public health has seen before.

“While we have positive cases with vaccination status, they are typically less severe and no hospitalization,” said Woods.

Woods said Omicron’s window of immunity appears to be shortening, causing reinfections in as little as eight weeks.

“Omicron is really good at skirting around immunity at this point,” he said.

Chief Nursing Officer Amanda Mohr said Des Moines’ number of COVID cases are still high, which makes transferring patients difficult, but that the amount of COVID-related in-patients dropped “significantly” over the weekend.

Teresa Newman of UnityPoint said there are 130 in-patients with COVID in Des Moines. She said the high rates of hospitalization among those with COVID morbidity, or those with other conditions that make it difficult to fight the virus.

“We are still at the peak, higher than we’ve ever been with COVID inpatients in Des Moines across our campuses,” she said.

Union County Public Health continues to offer vaccinations and tests at its Highway 34 location.

“We will go onsite to employers that may have a few employees that want that,” said Woods. “If an individual is symptomatic and not feeling well, we would recommend that person be seen by a provider. It it’s someone that’s an exposure or somebody that just might have a little bit of symptom, one thing we have at public health that is easily assessable and free is state hygienic lab tests.”

Results of tests sent to the state lab are typically available within 48 hours.

Crest Ridge Estates

Crest Ridge Estates Director Jordan Crawford gave a report on a resident survey on the level of satisfaction of residents the facility. The areas rated in the survey include admissions, personal apartments, housekeeping, management, meals, maintenance, personnel issues, other services and an overall assessment.

Thirty six of 39 surveys were returned.

“The lowest category was meals at 78, the highest category was senior housing management,” Crawford said.

Crawford said he will work with dietary to improve the meals, which is consistently the lowest rating.

Financial Report

Chief financial officer Matt McCutchan said the Greater Regional has been very busy across the entire organization in December. According to the volumes report, total operating revenue was $7.8 million, 9% over budget, and expenses were $7.4 million, or 4% percent over budget.

“We ended up with a net income with about $511,000, or 6%,” McCutchan said.

McCutchan said now that Greater Regional is half way through its fiscal year, and so far its total operating revenue is $43.8 million, 3% over budget.

“And a whopping 14% over last year,” he said.

$42.6 million, 1% over budget, and 15% over prior year

“Record growth hasn’t grown quite as much as expense ... but there were a lot of COVID-related expenses pushing that up, but it’s still a very health growth curve we’re on,” McCutchan said.

Net income for the year was reported at $1.1 million, or 2%.

“We budgeted under 1% so six months through the fiscal year and things are looking good,” McCutchan.

In other Greater Regional board news:

• Crest Ridge Estates director Jordan Crawford shared that Crest Ridge Estates is full with 40 residents. A party was held for its residents Dec. 29 with Greater Regional CEO Monte Neitzel was joined by Crawford, Luke Neitzel, Amy Rieck, Amanda Mohr and Sherry McKie, who helped prepare ribeye steaks and burgers.

• Crest Ridge recarpeted its dining room in November and will finish the lobby and hallways in March.

• Board chairman Dave Driskell asked Crawford what the rates are for units at Crest Ridge. Crawford said Crest Ridge offers four different types of units ranging from $1,135 to $2,075.

• Chief Quality Officer Kimberly Wheeler gave the board an update on its iVantage program and said Greater Regional is on track to receive an award from the American Heart Association for its stroke program. Wheeler said her department will be working with the IT personnel on ethic training. The ethics training and certification is due to staffing changes.

• Monte Neitzel’s administrative report will be published Thursday in the CNA.