Eastern WV Rural Health Education Consortium
Board Meeting Minutes
DATE: 8/19/03 TIME: 9:30 a.m. PLACE: Instructional Resource Center, Romney, WV
The following persons were present:
Jaime Bland, RHEP Administrative Assistant
Annette Boggs, Community Representative
Chris Corcoran, Region VIII Health Promotion Specialist
Sandria Glasscock, Grant County Health Department
Robert L. Harman, Grant Memorial Hospital
Lisa Hileman, Community Representative
Bonita Jackson, Community Representative
Gary Johnson, E.A. Hawse Health Center
Gaye Mitchell, Community Representative
Barbara Norton, Community Representative
Jane Sullivan, RHEP Coordinator
Malinda Turner, RHEP Coordinator
Jeanne Wooten, Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Mitchell, Board Chairperson. There was a quorum of Board members present. Mrs. Mitchell introduced and welcomed Gary Johnson, administrator at E.A. Hawse Health Center and Chris Corcoran, the new Region VIII Health Promotion Specialist.
AGENDA ITEM: APPROVAL OF MINUTES
DISCUSSION: There were no corrections or omissions to the June minutes.
ACTION: The minutes were approved as circulated (Motion: Norton, Hileman). Motion passed.
FOLLOW-UP: None required.
AGENDA ITEM: UPCOMING BUDGET, FUND BALANCE, 4TH QUARTER REPORT, AND 04/05 BUDGET
DISCUSSION: The Board was provided with several financial reports. The Board reviewed the 4th Quarter Fiscal Year End (FYE) 2003 report. The consortium had a fund balance at the FYE 03 of $22,749. The program also received an additional $14,361 in grant income that is not listed on the report. The grant income is from the Mt. State Geriatric Education Center and the WV CARDIAC Project. The total fund balance at the FYE 03 is $37,110. There has been some discussion at the state level as to how the fund balances will be handled. Hilda Heady, WVRHEP Executive Director, and Margaret Novacich, fiscal contact at WVU Office of Rural Health, will make this decision.
The Board reviewed a report on Carryover/Fund Balance for the consortium. This report details how the consortium has spent fund balances since the program inception. This report was created due to questions being asked by Chancellor Michael Mullens and the state Legislature. Mr. Harman reported on a meeting he attended with the Chancellor, representatives of the medical schools, and WVRHEP Finance Committee on July 28th. Specific questions are being asked regarding the consortium's purchase of the house on Warm Springs Avenue in Martinsburg. Documentation has been provided to Ms. Heady on the Board's discussion and decision to purchase this property. Mr. Harman provided the Chancellor and Ms. Heady with a copy of this report. In the meeting, Mr. Harman also discussed that the consortium accumulated a fund balance of over $1,000,000 due to receiving the same amount of funding year after year that was not expended.
The Board reviewed the revised fiscal year 2003/2004 budget for the consortium. This budget was revised based on the consortium having a fund balance at FYE 03. This allowed the consortium to restore some line items including the Community Development line item and the Graduate Medical Education line item. The current fiscal year has not received a Governor's budget cut at this time.
The Board reviewed a letter from Hilda on the July 28th meeting and the 2004-2005 budgets for all consortia. These budgets have been submitted to the Chancellor for his approval. The budgets have changed and no longer classify expenses as Fixed and Variable. The new line items are Direct Service Expenses and Service Expenses. This change is based on a recommendation by the Chancellor that budgets should reflect student volume and resources. The salary line items have been divided between Student Placement Services and Site Coordinator and Support Staff. The Community Service Assistant salaries are in the Community Service/Health Promotion line item.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: Additional cuts/changes to the budgets will be brought before the Board.
AGENDA ITEM: RECOMMENDATION ON BUDGET CUT
DISCUSSION: A request to change the reimbursement provided to guest speakers for conducting a consortium interdisciplinary session (IDS) was made by the coordinators. The reimbursement is currently $40 to $70 per hour for preparation and presentation time depending on the discipline of the guest speaker. A recommendation was made to pay guest speakers a flat fee of $50 per session. The Board discussed when and why guest speakers are used. Petersburg has four and Martinsburg has five health care providers that present an IDS. The Board also discussed the quality of the interdisciplinary sessions and the importance of having individuals trained to conduct these.
ACTION: Jane will pursue additional health care providers to present an IDS. The Board accepted the recommendation to pay guest speakers a flat reimbursement of $50 per session (Glasscock, Boggs). Motion passed.
FOLLOW-UP: Continue to monitor.
AGENDA ITEM: AHEC UPDATE
DISCUSSION: There has been no action taken on combining the Eastern Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and Eastern WV Rural Health Education Consortium Boards. The next AHEC meeting will be on September 10 from 11:00 a.m - 1:00 p.m. in Martinsburg.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: Continue to monitor.
AGENDA ITEM: HSTA UPDATE
DISCUSSION: There was a problem with a form not being submitted for the consortium's reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the Health Sciences & Technology Academy (HSTA) program. This was completed and reimbursement should be received by the next meeting.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: An update will be provided at the next meeting.
AGENDA ITEM: PROPOSAL FROM THE EASTERN DIVISION
DISCUSSION: The Board received Ms. Heady's response to a letter written by Gaye Mitchell on behalf of the Board. This letter outlined the Board's concerns with the original proposal. A revised proposal was submitted along with Ms. Heady's response that is substantially different than the original recommendation presented to the WVRHEP School Committee. The current proposal only requests an exception for third year medical students at the WVU Eastern Division Campus. This request will be reviewed by the WVRHEP School Committee at their next meeting on September 15th. The original request recommended Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties be removed from the WVRHEP program. This was revised. If a request would be received recommending a change in geographic coverage area for a consortium, the WVRHEP State Advisory Panel would need to approve this recommendation. They would consult the local consortium for their opinion on this recommendation.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: An update will be provided at the next meeting.
AGENDA ITEM: WVRHEP ADVISORY PANEL REPORT
DISCUSSION: A report was provided on July WVRHEP Advisory Panel and Committee meetings. The Finance Committee met and approved the Fiscal Year 04/05 Policy for sites to use when submitting their budgets. Following the July 28th meeting with the Chancellor, this policy was not approved and the budget process has been changed as stated above. The Little Kanawha Area Health Consortium added Doddridge County. Ms. Heady provided an update on the Performance Evaluation & Research Division (PERD) Report. The report evaluates the RHI Act and what has been completed since the program was funded three years ago. The report should have been completed by July 15th. The individual in charge of writing the report has left her position and has not been replaced. The report will not be completed until December or January. It is unclear whether this will have a positive or negative affect on reauthorization. Ms. Heady stated that our consortium purchasing the house in Martinsburg will be a "lightning bolt" in the PERD Report. Mrs. Mitchell stressed the importance of educating legislators on the value of the program and how the funds have been used.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: None required.
AGENDA ITEM: GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
DISCUSSION: The annual General Membership Meeting will be held on October 21 at 11:00 a.m. It is important to encourage legislators to attend this event. A suggestion was made to have a legislator be the guest speaker.
ACTION: Board members are to contact their legislators to encourage them to attend the meeting.
FOLLOW-UP: None required.
AGENDA ITEM: TRAVEL REQUESTS
DISCUSSION: The Board reviewed seven travel requests from field faculty. Six of these requests are for the WVRHEP Faculty Development Conference on September 19 & 20. The amounts requested differ based on whether they stay Thursday night as well as the mileage reimbursement. There is $15,000 budgeted for travel this year. There would be sufficient funds in this line item to cover the requests. The Board discussed approving one request per field faculty at this time and evaluating future requests as they are submitted. The request from Dr. Rosemarie Cannarella to attend the WV Rural Health Conference was not approved.
ACTION: The travel requests to attend the WVRHEP Faculty Development Conference were approved (Motion: Norton, Johnson). Motion passed.
FOLLOW-UP: Continue to monitor.
AGENDA ITEM: MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
DISCUSSION: The Board reviewed a request from Rankin Physical Therapy to be added as a training site for the consortium. This site will train West Virginia University physical therapy students.
ACTION: The membership request for Rankin Physical Therapy was approved (Motion: Hileman, Wooten). Motion passed.
FOLLOW-UP: None required.
AGENDA ITEM: AFFILIATION AGREEMENT
DISCUSSION: The Board reviewed a request from St. Matthew's University School of Medicine to train medical students. The student is currently doing a rotation at the Winding Roads Consortium in Spencer. The school will pay a $1,000 stipend per month for the student's rotation.
ACTION: The affiliation agreement with St. Matthew's University School of Medicine was approved (Motion: Harman, Johnson). Motion passed.
FOLLOW-UP: None required.
AGENDA ITEM: BOARD ASSESSMENT
DISCUSSION: The Board discussed the questions on the Annual Board Assessment. A copy of the responses was made part of the minutes. The overall responses were very positive in how the Board has functioned in the past year.
ACTION: Received as information.
FOLLOW-UP: The issues discussed will be reviewed by the Board.
AGENDA ITEM: OTHER NEW BUSINESS
DISCUSSION: Mrs. Hileman recommended the Board reconsider the funding for the Student Dinner Program. This program has been well-received by the students and a recruitment and retention strategy for the consortium. This program cost $2,000 in the past fiscal year. Mrs. Sullivan shared pictures of the house in Martinsburg. The pictures showed the room renovations that have been completed, the new carpet, the decor, and the exterior of the house. Overall comments on the house were positive.
ACTION: The coordinators will discuss the Student Dinner Program and provide a recommendation at the next meeting.
FOLLOW-UP: As stated above. The Board voted to go into executive session at 12:15 p.m. (Motion: Harman, Johnson). Motion passed. The Board reconvened in regular session at 12:45 p.m. Mrs. Mitchell stated that in executive session the Board discussed salary issues.
ADJOURNMENT: 12:50 p.m.
Gaye Mitchell, Board Chairperson