For now — and possibly several months to come — Newman Regional Health is putting its coronavirus vaccine policy for employees on pause.
Chief Executive Officer Bob Wright made the announcement during the Board of Trustees’ monthly meeting Wednesday. While litigation is resolved, employees will still have to take precautions.
Part of the issue is the injunctions — one halting the implementation and enforcement of the mandate involving businesses with at least 100 employees and one stopping the mandate against healthcare facilities, which stand to lose Medicare and Medicaid payments if it ultimately holds up in court. Part of the issue has to do with the recent special session in the Kansas Legislature, which involves medical and religious exemptions when asked, unemployment benefits if workers are fired due to the federal mandate and fines of up to $50,000 for being out of compliance with the new state policy.
Wright’s comments come as the first US case of the coronavirus omicron variant was confirmed in California. Wright believes omicron may already be in Kansas, but it will take some time for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to confirm its presence.
In other business, inpatient, outpatient and other patient revenue were all above budget for October. Net October income was over $513,000, favorable to budget by over $815,000.
Year-to-date income is now at $7.4 million, favorable to the current year-to-date budget by over $2 million and favorable to the 2020 budget by almost $10 million.
Separately, the board approved a lease agreement for its new da Vinci robotic surgery equipment. Wright says the equipment, mainly benefiting general suegery, gynecology and urology, should be ready for installation by March, with procedures possibly starting as soon as May.
