The regular meeting of the Columbus Board of Health was held in the
Administration Conference Room of the Health and Human Services Center on
Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at 1:00 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
James H. Sullivan, M.D.
Isaiah Hugley, City Manager
Mrs. Brenda Dozier
James A Lawrence, D.D.S.
Howard Willis, M.D.
Banks H. Carroll, M. D.
OTHERS PRESENT:
Zsolt Koppanyi, M. D.
Ed Saidla
Margaret Gosden
Eileen Albritton
Pam Middleton
LaQuita Rogers
Cheryl Johnson
Johnny Miller
Samantha Shelton-Hicks-Intern
Vanessa Ford
Dr. Sullivan called the meeting to order and asked for a motion to approve the
minutes of the last meeting. A motion was made by Dr. Lawrence, seconded by Mr.
Hugley and approved by those members present.
Dr. Sullivan stated there were no Excused Absences for this meeting.
Dr. Sullivan asked if there was any Old Business. There being none, he asked
about any New Business. Dr. Sullivan called on Ed Saidla to present a Purchase
Request for equipment to the Board. Mr. Saidla stated that the Vector Control
staff has used a surplus postal jeep to spray catch basins for mosquito larvae.
We have one of the last models in the State of Georgia. He stated that it was
purchased around five years ago and was well worn at purchase. It has been used
for spraying the catch basins in the older parts of downtown Columbus as well
as the outlying neighborhoods still on the old combined sewer/storm systems.
This model was used for years, because the right handed postal jeeps allow the
best access to the curb side sewers. Since
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no additional models can be located for replacement; we have looked at a plan
to replace the jeep with another type vehicle. We would like to ask the Boards
approval to purchase an electric vehicle designed for operation on city
streets, with speed limits of less than 35mph. The vehicle is plugged in at the
end of the day for recharge. The price of this vehicle is $9,985.00. It has a
windshield, seat belts, etc. We feel that this vehicle will meet the needs for
keeping the catch basins sprayed throughout the area. This is a situation that
needs to be resolved. Other options have been considered; Chrysler is producing
some right hand jeeps for rural postal carriers, but the likelihood of
availability for actual purchase, would be sometime late November or January of
next year. Mr. Hugley asked how many miles could you get on one charge of the
battery? Mr. Saidla stated that you could get thirty (30) miles for one charge.
It can be recharged in about 20 to 30 minutes for a full recharge. A number of
college campuses throughout the State are purchasing this type of vehicle.
Several cities, according to the company, are purchasing these vehicles because
they are street legal to use. The company publishes operation costs of a penny
a mile. The total cost with all necessary add-ons is approximately $10,800.00.
Dr. Sullivan asked if the company would be able to place a logo on the doors
and Mr. Saidla replied that they would. Ms. Gosden asked if a signal light
would be available and Mr. Saidla stated that these items along with a heater
are included in the price. Dr. Sullivan asked for a motion to purchase this
vehicle. A motion was made by Mr. Hugley, seconded by Ms. Dozier and approved
by those members present. Mr. Saidla stated there would have been money in the
existing budget to purchase it except someone stole the Crown Victoria car out
of the parking lot back in October and we had to purchase a replacement vehicle
that used the money that was allotted.
Dr. Sullivan called on Dr. Koppanyi for the Director?s Comments. Dr. Koppanyi
asked the Board Members if they had read the Atlanta Constitution newspaper
regarding the issues with DFCS. Dr. Koppanyi stated there is going to be a mega
meeting regarding the day to day operations, etc. of the health departments.
The annual Sellers-McCroan luncheon will be held on March 30th in Atlanta
following the District Health Directors Meeting.
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Dr. Koppanyi stated that practically every county Board of Health signed the
Resolutions that were sent out to the Representatives and Senators of the
entire district delegation.
Dr. Koppanyi discussed the recent damage done by the March tornados in Columbus
and in Americus. Dr. Koppanyi stated that through Public Health and the
Governor declaring a disaster, Americus was able to get a portable emergency
hospital. The hospital consists of an inflatable structure of blue tents, plus
one that was used for the Emergency Room. There are three units with a total of
fifty (50) cots. There is an x-ray unit being used in an urgent care operation.
Support has been offered in establishing a functional oncology unit. The
oncology unit was wiped out at the hospital and they were sending all of the
patients down to Phoebe Putney. Magnolia Manor, a large Methodist retirement
and nursing home facility, has offered one of their wings for this use. This
unit has been approved. Dr. Koppanyi stated that Mr. Saidla and Ms. Albritton
and Mr. Deal have inspected the hospital and the Commissioner has requested
daily reports on the status. Mr. Johnny Miller, Liaison with the Community, has
been interviewing and recording the short and long term plans of the physician
community.
Dr. Koppanyi stated that several hundred doses of tetanus had been given to
individuals from all over the United States that came to help out in Americus.
Vector Control issues have been discussed regarding the threat of mosquitoes.
Dr. Sullivan asked if there were any questions regarding any of these issues.
Dr. Willis asked about the availability of health care in the area. Dr.
Koppanyi stated that the acute part has been met but the in-patient for any
length of time is addressed by transfer to other nearby hospitals. The surgical
issues still exist because there are no real operating rooms available. The
surrounding hospitals have allowed limited privileges to doctors to operate in
their facility.
Dr. Willis asked Dr. Koppanyi if the disaster coverage for this community was
adequate for the recent event. Ms. Gosden stated that the City of Columbus
response including everyone from the Fire Chief, Police Chief and everyone down
the line was swift and appropriate. The mobile command center was set up in
the parking lot of Winn Dixie on Veterans Parkway and included Red Cross and
other response organizations. The only problem noted was there was no true
picture of what had happened because of the cover of darkness. Ms. Gosden
stated that the health department had
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closed early in the afternoon in anticipation that something might happen. Ms.
Gosden was on D-Heart call for that time period. Dr. Willis asked about the
need to communicate when the media is limited. How would we trigger a disaster
plan for medical support? For example, suppose given the fact that the power
was down and media access was limited, how would the medical community be
notified if there were a catastrophic accident. Mr. Saidla asked if Dr. Willis
meant notifying the physicians and medical support. Mr. Saidla stated that this
was an issue that the hospitals are trying to address, an issue that came up as
a result of the storm, because they had some physicians who could not get home,
who came into the hospitals and worked and others who had homes in the
neighborhoods that were hit and they could not get out of their neighborhoods.
This is an issue that all of the hospitals are trying to work on collectively,
but there is no answer at the present time.
Mr. Hugley stated that the city?s Public Safety people in the areas that were
hit were going door to door. He stated that he was assured that Columbus
Regional would have a list of physicians. He stated that he would speak to his
people and check to see if they had the list because Public Safety obviously
could go and pick them up or go and look for them if something happened and
they did not call on their own, they could go to those homes and look for them.
Mr. Saidla stated that this was an issue that came up and an issue that the
hospitals are addressing.
Dr. Willis asked that we look at this little closer. Dr. Willis submitted that
this is just the tip of the iceberg. If Columbus faces a
catastrophic event, we need an organized plan.
Dr. Koppanyi stated there is a plan in place. There was a brief discussion
between Dr. Koppanyi and Dr. Willis. Dr. Willis asked if it is possible to have
a drill. Mr. Saidla stated that the hospital committee, MMRS, has already begun
looking at, based on the situation that occurred with the storms and the fact
of making sure that they recreate many of the systems that use to exist in
terms of the physicians having an idea of where they need to locate and where
they need to go to..that is all being readdressed and relooked at in
conjunction with the Muscogee County Physicians Association and other physician
groups in the area. Dr. Koppanyi referred to the cards that the physicians use
entering the hospitals that have the physician?s information on them. Dr.
Koppanyi stated that it would be good to plan an exercise that would include
the physicians.
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Dr. Willis stated that several years ago, the physicians that stated that they
were interested in this issue, or the resources that were given to us?would not
take part in the exercise. Dr. Carroll stated that he feels that this entire
issue should go through the hospitals. ?You must coordinate with them, we can?t
do anything independently here, but that will be the core.? Mr. Saidla stated
that the main command center is based at the Medical Center and it is their
responsibility as the Regional Coordinating Hospital. The MMRS through Federal
Funding, since 2001, has paid for the vast majority of that equipment that
allows that command center to be set up and functional.
There was a discussion between Mr. Hugley and Dr. Carroll, Ms. Gosden and Dr.
Willis concerning the past events regarding the tornados. Dr. Willis stated
that with the incidents occurring it is clear on how the communication system
is dependent on something that may not exist.
Dr. Sullivan called on Pam Middleton to present the financial report to the
Board. Ms. Gosden had an update on the fee situation. She stated that through
February as a total district, the Medicaid fees are down about 35%. Again,
funds are being received in and some of the counties are 10 or 15% off. Some of
the counties are 95% or 96% off. It depends on how quickly the income has
turned around to them and at what point they come in. The fees are down in this
district but it is not as catastrophic as it could be. Ms. Betty Vitale and Ms.
Brenda Wells continue to pursue the Medicaid income but she is concerned about
some of the counties that are on the list for FY2008. EPSDT is down but is not
as bad as some of the other programs that are down.
Mr. Saidla asked Johnny Miller to introduce Samantha Shelton-Hicks, Intern who
is a four year med student, from Global Southeastern University, Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida, who will be interning with the health department for about
one and a half months.
Dr. Sullivan called on Vanessa Ford, Women?s Health for the presentation to the
Board.
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Dr. Sullivan asked if there was any other business to discuss. There being
none, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted:
_________________________
Pam Middleton, Secretary
Attachments
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