Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services | Gibson gets it! | Spring/Summer 2020

Gibson gets it! 13 Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services received the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s IMPACT Award last November for its creation and implementation of a dental clinic. The need for access to quality dental care with financial assistance was identified by area physicians and representatives from the local school system. Patients had been waiting for up to six months or were forced to travel hours away for care. In response to this need, GAHHS opened a dental clinic within its facility to provide dental care to those who struggle to find services and those who cannot afford to pay for these services. “As oral disease affects overall health and well-being, lack of access to dental care had an adverse impact on oral health and was a factor in high rates of preventable emergency department visits, opioid addiction, and heart disease. Our new dental clinic is addressing these issues,” said Rob Schmitt, GAHHS CEO. IMPACT of the GAHHS dental clinic (from its opening date of Nov. 6, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019): 949 patients (682 adults and 267 children) received care. Local access to dental services has reduced transportation barriers for patients to get care. Appointments have been scheduled within 1 to 2 weeks . The wait time with other Medicaid providers is typically 3 to 6 months. Medicaid adjustments— over $387,000 . Charity care—over $30,000 . 75% of those patients were Medicaid patients. Patients represented 110 different ZIP codes. GAHHS receives ICAHN’s 2019 IMPACT Award From left, Doug Florkowski, ICAHN Board of Directors President; Natalie Mead, GAHHS Director of Dental Health; and Rob Schmitt, GAHHS CEO, with the 2019 IMPACT Award for service excellence GAHHS takes part in healthcare summit Representing Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services (GAHHS) at the Becker’s Hospital Review 8th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Robin Rose, GAHHS CCO and COO, joined hospital and health system executives from around the country to discuss the best business-focused, strategic discussions in health care, including physician alignment, leadership and finance. Among the keynote speakers were George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States; Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; and NFL legend Peyton Manning, pictured here with Rose.