Following a closed executive

session, Sublette County Rural Health

Care District Chairman Wendy Boman announced

that EMT schedules will remain the

same through September.

“We had a lengthy discussion about EMS

scheduling,” she said. “What we have decided

to do, going forward, is to let the 48

(hour) 96 (hour) schedule continue until

Sept. 1st when we will reevaluate it. There

will be some caveats that Dave (Doorn) will

talk about, but for right now, we will continue

with the 48/96 schedule.”

Doorn and trustee Bill Johnson will continue

to carry out discussions on the EMT

schedule over the following months, Boman

added.

Boman’s announcement was greeted with

thank yous and applause from the large audience

assembled for the meeting, including a

large number of EMTs.

“Thank you for keeping (our) schedule up

until Sept. 1st,” EMS Operations Director

Bill Kluck said. “That’s a huge load off my

mind.”

During public comments, Boman dispelled

rumors that she said are circulating

around the county. She emphasized that

board members “do not get paid anything”

for their service, and the rumor that board

members received a raise is completely false.

Boman stated that deputies were called

into last month’s meeting at her request because

“I knew it was going to be an emotional

meeting.” The deputies were not there to single

out any individual.

Boman added that the board has “never

stopped staff from speaking out” at any time,

but reiterated that staff members need to

“make sure that the information they provide

is accurate.” Boman provided the example of

a false report circulating on Monday that nine

EMTs had resigned.

Johnson also spoke to quell some “rumbling

in the community.” He outlined the

goals and accomplishments of the board,

including vetoing the previous board’s plan

to pursue a hospital project at the Bloomfield

site.

Johnson explained that the “intent” of the

board was to purchase the Pinedale ball field

and make the current clinic the focal point for

any critical access hospital moving forward.

Johnson added that the board’s priority was

to build “good working relationships” with

the county commissioners and town governments.

He stated that the board is working on a

“step-by-step” long-term plan for extended

care in the Big Piney/Marbleton area. He also

praised Doorn for bringing monthly expenses

down “significantly.”

Trustee Mike Pompy emphasize that the

board “has not voted” on any critical access

hospital plan, and that the trustees are not

unanimous about the critical access hospital.

He added that he is not against looking into

project ideas and stated that “we will start

proceeding (with the CAH) when all of the

different ideas on the board are consolidated.”

Doorn announced that he met with Lorraine

Werner of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture about the critical access hospital

project. He said Werner was “anxious to do

a (CAH) project with us,” but was looking

for a project that was “more conservative” in

scope and cost.

The board continued its discussion of

expanding care at the Big Piney/Marbleton

Clinic. Pompy presented a proposal to the

board with several different options involving

on-call staff and offering incentives like

housing for practitioners when they are in

south county.

Pompy said cost estimates for his proposal

ranged from $750,000 to $1.5 million. He reemphasized

that this was only a preliminary

proposal, and encouraged the board members

to add their input.

Trustee Tonia Hoffman added that the

goal to provide around-the-clock health care

for the southern part of Sublette County will

take time, and said that there are several days

when only one primary practitioner is on staff

at the Marbleton Clinic.

Patricia Berndt, a radiologist at the Marbleton

Clinic, reported that she is in charge

of scheduling, and noted that with the existing

staff shortage, providing two primary

practitioners per day at both clinics is a challenge.

Hoffman reiterated that this process will

take time and is a “work in progress.”

“The public needs to know that (expanding

care) is a big priority,” she said. “This

isn’t something you hear about on a monthly

basis, but we are quietly trying to work these

issues and reestablish after-hours care in

Marbleton – somehow, some way. We do

have commitments from other entities financially

to pitch in when we have a concrete

plan.”

Doorn announced that the district is searching for doctor and another physician assistant to hire.