December 5, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
After spending Monday seeking investors for a quick influx of money to meet a payroll, Sayre Community Hospital decided late Monday to close down their inpatient services and the emergency room.
The decision was to be temporary until a new investor can be found.
According to notes placed on the hospital’s doors, the emergency room and inpatient services are temporarily closed until further notice, however, outpatient services are still available and the parking lot at the hospital was fairly full this morning. The hospital is continuing to provide lab, radiology, respiratory, physical therapy, out patient surgery and other services.
Last Friday was payday at the hospital and employees went without a pay check, an issue that hospital CEO Bob Hicks is urgently trying to rectify. Staff went without a paycheck yesterday, too.
The partial closure, expected to be through tomorrow, possibly Thursday, is for safety precautions due to a shortage of RNs. Many of the nurses didn’t report to work after not receiving a paycheck.
Hicks is diligently working toward finding an investor who will not only provide cash flow for last week’s skipped paychecks, but one that will provide enough financing to fix the cash flow challenge the hospital is facing.
According to multiple reports, Hicks is working currently with a prospective investor and believes to have the financial capital very soon.
In a story on the hospital aired yesterday by Paragon Communications, the reason for the cash flow issue is due to the inability for the hospital to receive Medicaid and other insurance company reimbursements until the hospital receives it’s Medicaid accreditation. Hicks told Paragon Communication that over $2-million dollars is due the hospital and he’s working toward getting the accreditation soon.
The Sayre Community Hospital sign out front has been covered – similarly as it was after the hospital closed February 1, 2016.
This time, however, its for a different reason. According to hospital administration officials, if a hospital is not servicing it’s emergency room and accepting patients, the sign must be covered. The sign’s coverage, unfortunately, gives a misleading impression.
The note on the doors reads that the hospital is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 5 pm and that the hospital appreciates your business.
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