Greene County Democrat

Tag: Greene County Health System

  • Greene County Health Systems launches Career Tech Program

    Greene County Health Systems launches Career Tech Program

    by Maya Quinn
    Managing Editor

    Lakisha Gill, Nicole Henley, Rodgerick Williams standing in the nursing home waiting area
    Lakisha Gill, Nicole Henley, and Rodgerick Williams standing in the nursing home waiting area

    Thursday, March 5th, Greene County Hospital launched its career tech program for Eutaw High School students with the induction of seven students. Hospital Administrator Rodgerick Williams welcomed students, along with Chief Nursing Officer Lakisha Gill and Nicole Henley, director of nursing at the Greene County Nursing Home. The goal of the program is to prepare students for employment opportunities and address the ongoing rural healthcare crisis in the community.

    Retention of students is essential to reshaping the culture of Greene County Health Systems. Each summer, students may experience a phenomenon known as “brain drain”: a lack of academic stimulation that leads to learning loss. Greene County Health Systems aims to combat that with the career tech program. Henley stated that the program aims to provide students with invaluable work experience to equip them for positions here in Greene County. Students practiced completing applications, drafting resumes, and handling other daily tasks for introductory positions across disciplines. The program’s staff and teachers are bridging a gap by ensuring that students have the necessary soft skills to be employed in college or immediately after graduation.

    hospital staff showing students the CT scan machine
    hospital staff showing career tech students a CT scan machine

    Lakisha Gill highlighted the importance of programs like these in preparing students for clinical and professional schools. Alongside patient care tech training, students are developing key employability skills, including communication, self-management, digital literacy, teamwork, and problem-solving. The program will partner with Wallace Community College’s LPN (licensed practical nurse) program and Workforce Alabama to procure stipends for students. “These kids need to be involved in something,” Gill stated, “we need to give back as a unit to the students here.” Upon completion of CNA (certified nursing assistant) training, students will be offered CNA positions in the Greene County Health System.

    UAB Alabama Rural Health Collaborative team with Hospital Administrator Rodgerick Williams
    UAB Alabama Rural Health Collaborative team with Rodgerick Williams

    Williams is also working closely with the UAB Alabama Rural Health Collaborative to decrease rural hospital bypass, the tendency of residents to seek care beyond their closest hospital. The collaborative will help the hospital procure funds for new imaging equipment and a surgery suite. Williams asserted that these improvements are imperative to serve Greene County’s residents better. A study from the University of North Carolina’s Rural Health Research Program found that traveling beyond the local hospital for care in rural areas is associated with higher inpatient mortality rates. In emergencies such as sepsis, rural hospital bypass can lead to patients missing a critical period of care that means the difference between life and death.

    Rural bypass behaviors result in a significant loss of revenue for the hospital. Revenue loss leads to a detrimental cascading effect, leaving hospitals understaffed. Understaffing means the hospital will lack key services such as critical illness care and obstetrics. Greene County Health Systems is not a for-profit institution and relies on county members to keep its doors open. Williams urges community members to use the hospital for all their care needs and not just emergencies, “to make sure that in this rural environment they can get service in their golden hour of need.”

  • Democrat prepares for ‘Progress Issue’ on November 15, 2023

    The publishers of the Greene County Democrat, weekly newspaper will publish their annual ‘Greene County Progress Issue’ on November 15, 2023.
    This will be a 24-page tabloid to be inserted in the regular newspaper, together with 7,000 additional copies to be distributed widely in the Alabama Black Belt counties.

    The Progress issue will feature stories on business and economic development in Greene County, including improvements in our school system, Greene County Health System, beautification of the Courthouse Square in Eutaw, agriculture, forestry, the electronic bingo gaming and tourist industry in the county. It will also report on progress in the Crossroads of America Industrial Park at Boligee; and the impact of the Love’s Truck Stop, at the Interstate 20/59 Exit 40, which has been in operation for the past four years.

    The special issue will highlight tourism that is very important to the Greene County economy. Thousands come to the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival each year; the Antique Alley event in May; and the tour of historic homes in the Fall also brings people to the county, Many people come from other communities in the state to enjoy electronic bingo and simulcast wagering on horses and greyhound dogs. More and more people are coming to Greene County to enjoy outdoor sports such as fishing, hunting, biking, and bird watching. Many have established camp-houses throughout the county to have greater access to outdoor activities.

    We plan to cover these events and others which add up to a report on economic and civic progress in Greene County since last year.

    Letters have been sent to businesses, political office holders and civic and community organizations to solicit their advertising and suggestions for content to be covered. We welcome your support, advertising, photographs, and stories, whether you received a letter, email, or phone call, or we did not reach you yet. We welcome your suggestions and advice on progress that has been made in Greene County over the past year and longer.

    Please send your suggestions and input through our website at: http://www.greenecodemocrat.com, our Facebook page, and our email: jzippert@aol.com. You can also visit the Democrat office at 206 Prairie Avenue in Eutaw: office phone 205-372-3373.

  • Every Drop Counts! Donate Your blood and Save a Life


    Eutaw, AL- We are pleased to announce that Greene County Health System is
    partnering with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers to host a community blood drive.
    We are in the middle of a critical blood shortage. LifeSouth has a critically low supply of blood statewide when you consider all blood types. They have no O negative blood! We do not need to tell you how devastating this could become for our hospitals and patients.
    It is easy to think that someone else will fill the need, but when more than 42,000 blood donations are needed every day, every donation ensures that when someone in our community needs blood, we will have some to give them. 15 minutes in the donation chair matters to your community.
    Greene County Health System will host a Blood Drive on Thursday, February 24, 2022, from 9:00a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    Register online at: https://donors.lifesouth.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/754926 or for more information call Andrea Woods, Marketing Coordinator at 205-372-3388.
    Save a life by committing today: to donate yourself, to ask your friends, colleagues, and loved ones to donate with you. There is no better feeling than knowing your blood donation gave someone a second chance at life.

  • Hospital dedicates imaging suite for Dr. Sandral Hullett, retired medical director

    Dr. Marcia Pugh, GCHS Adminstration with Dr. Sandral Hullett (seated) and Strelitzia King, niece, Amberley Smith, niece and Gloria Hullett sister of Dr. Hullett, beneath new plaque naming the imaging suite for Dr. Hullett
    Dr. Sandral Hullett and family members cut ribbon on new
    imaging center suite.
    Dr. Marcia Pugh (L) and John Zippert, GCHS Board chair stand with plaque honoring Zippert, which will be place in Physician Clinic Conference Room named to honor him for his service to the  GCHS.
    Dr. and Mrs. Rucker Staggers, former doctor and nurse at the hospital stand with Dr. Sandral Hullett, their medical colleague for many years.

    On Sunday afternoon, November 21, 2021, the Greene County Health System held a ceremony to name and dedicate the new imaging wing of the Greene County Hospital in honor of Dr. Sandral Hullett, retired medical director of the facility.

    The imaging suite includes the new X-ray room, a new 16 slice CT scanner, an ultrasound room and related office and patient spaces. An older 4 slice CT scanner, was located in a trailer behind the hospital building. This has been replaced by a new and more modern machine, inside the facility.

    A plaque on the wall recognizing Dr. Hullett for her service and assistance to rural health care in the Alabama Black Belt was unveiled by Dr. Hullett and members of her family.

    Dr. Marcia Pugh, GCHS Administrator thanked Dr. Hullett for her years of dedicated service to the people of Greene County. “We are especially happy that we were able to upgrade and bring the CT scanner inside. We will no longer have to bring our patients out the back door to a trailer in inclement weather. The X-ray and ultrasound equipment have been similarly upgraded. We have also improved our Emergency Room facilities and equipment.

    “We encourage Greene County residents to visit our GCHS facilities and see the many improvements for themselves. We want the residents of Greene County to have quality and affordable health care, without having to travel to other out-of-town facilities, unless they need specialized care that we cannot provide. Because of the coronavirus, we had to limit participation in this ceremony, but we want people to know about and use our improved facilities, when you need them.” stated Dr. Pugh.

    As part of the ceremony, the hospital also unveiled another plaque to honor John Zippert, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, to be placed in the Conference Room of the Greene County Physician’s Clinic, which was named for Zippert, several years ago.

    “

  • Eutaw City Council approves water leak insurance; re-enacts mask mandate

    Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson (center) and members of the Eutaw City Council show the hand sanitizer available for distribution to residents
    Officer Andrew Clements and
    Police Chief Tommy Johnson

    At its regular meeting on August 10, 2021, the Eutaw City Council approved a proposal from SERVLine to add an insurance of up to $500 for water leakages on the customer side of the meter. Eutaw water customers will be able to opt-out of this $1.75 a month charge on their water bills, if they do not want the coverage.

    This insurance, which costs $1.75 per month ($21 per year), will be added to customer’s water bills, provides up to $500 if a leak develops on the customer’s side of the water meter, which is paid to cover the high water bills for water-loss in a leak. Some of the high utility bills incurred in the city have come from undiscovered and prolonged leaks. 

    The payment is subject to a deductible, based on the average water bill for the past twelve months. This means even if you have a water leak covered by the insurance, you will still have to pay your basic monthly bill and the insurance will help pay for the extra water used that was caused by the leak.

    SERLine will send a letter to all City of Eutaw water customers informing them of the insurance program before the $1.75 charge is added to all of the water bills. Customers may opt-out of the insurance program, that is to say you must inform the City’s Water Department that you do not want to be covered by the insurance, during the initial three months of the coverage period and at specific designated times during the year.

    Many City Council members expressed concerns that customers would not understand the additional $1.75 monthly insurance charge on their bills or that they can opt-out of the program if they do not want the coverage. Mayor Johnson assured the Council that all water customers would be informed of this insurance coverage and monthly charge by letter from the company and by an advisory printed on their bills. 

    The Council then voted unanimously for instituting this SERVLine water leak insurance program. This program will start soon, so look for your notice in the mail and your opportunity to opt-out, if you do not wish to pay for this additional insurance coverage.

    The Eutaw City Council agreed to re-impose a mask mandate for the City of Eutaw requiring citizens to wear masks inside city businesses and in places where there are large numbers of people gathered together inside or outside. The city adopted this mandate until its first regular meeting on September 14, 2021. 

    The Council may extend the mask mandate at that point depending on the conditions of community spread of the coronavirus, especially the more contagious Delta variant, which is spreading throughout the state, primarily to unvaccinated people. The Mayor and Council urged all adults and children above the age of 12 to be vaccinated. Vaccination appointments may be made at the Greene County Health System, Mills Pharmacy and the Alabama Department of Public Health. 

    The mayor reported that the City of Eutaw had received a pallet of hand sanitizer, to be distributed to Greene County agencies, businesses and residents. The Black Belt Community Foundation informed the city of the availability of these free resources to combat the coronavirus pandemic and the city staff acted to secure these resources.

    The mayor said a CPA in Tuscaloosa is preparing audits for the fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020, which will enable the city to seek grants and loans to acquire new equipment, such as a knuckle-boom truck to pick up 

    fallen trees and other trash on the side of the streets. The mayor said she has spoken with Waste Management, who said they were having difficulties in picking up garbage in the city on schedule because of a lack of personnel. The company improved garbage collections for several weeks but has fallen behind schedule again.

    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council: 

    • Approved travel for Linda Spencer, Court Clerk and Antonio Pearson, Magistrate, to attend training.

    • Approved Corey Martin, Water Operator to attend training in Ozark, Alabama.

     

    • Approved amending the Personnel Handbook to allow part-time employees to apply for health insurance, after they complete the 90-day probationary period.

    • Police Chief Tommy Johnson reported that Andrew Clements, a new officer had complete training at the Police Academy and was joining the city’s police force. He also announced that he was holding another coffee and donuts session at Branch Heights, on Thursday August 12, to talk with people about improving the policing of Eutaw.

    • Approved payment of outstanding bills.

  • Lottery-Gambling Bills leave many unresolved questions for Greene County

    News Analysis by John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    The Lottery-Gambling Bill which passed the Alabama State Senate failed in the Alabama House of Representatives on the last day of the session. The bill as passed by the Senate created an Alabama Lottery with most proceeds going to higher education scholarships and established casino gambling at six designated locations in the state, with proceeds going to the state’s general fund for broadband expansion, rural health care support and other priorities. The bill provided for casino gambling with slot machines and table games, such as Blackjack, Roulette and others, at places in the state that previously had dog racing and some new locations. Casino gaming was specifically provided at Greenetrack in Greene County, Mobile, Birmingham, Shorter (Victoryland in Macon County), Dothan and a new facility in the northeast corner of the state (near Chattanooga, TN.). The lottery and gaming regulation was placed under the control of a statewide commission and tax revenues flowed to the state. There was also a provision that some portion of the taxes would be returned to the local jurisdictions where gaming facilities were located. The Porch Creek Band of Choctaw Indians that own and operate electronic bingo gambling, on tribal land, at Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery would be allowed to upgrade their gambling operations to table games, under Federal regulations. The Porch Creek interests were allowed to compete for the new location in NE Alabama. There were also provisions allowing a compact between the State of Alabama and the Porch Creek Band relative to revenues from gambling. There were many groups and interests in Greene County who opposed the bill because it did not answer some issues and questions they had. Greene County voters overwhelming approved Constitutional Amendment 743, in November 2003, which allowed electronic bingo in the county. The licensing and payment of monthly fees and charitable contributions is governed by the Sheriff of Greene County. Currently there are six licensed bingo operations in Greene County – Greenetrack, Bama Bingo, Frontier, River’s Edge, Palace and Marvel City. There were five operating bingo enterprises during the last legislative session. These bingo operations employ 300 to 500 persons in their operations, most of whom are Greene County residents. Greenetrack is responsible for approximately 100 of the employed positions. For the month of April 2021, the five bingo operations contributed $600,948.87, based on fees per machine, to the Greene County Commission, Greene County Board of Education, Greene County Health System, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the cities of Eutaw, Forkland, Union and Boligee, as well as a group of non-profit charitable organizations. Greenetrack provided $71,000 to the same government and municipal agencies. These agencies receive over $7 million a year in revenues from the bingo operations. The heads of these agencies are quick to say without these bingo revenues they would have a difficult time in providing necessary services to the residents of Greene County. The major unresolved questions in the effort to create statewide lottery and casino gambling were what happens to the other bingo operations in Greene County, if Greenetrack becomes the only officially designated gambling site in Greene County. What happens to the other bingo halls in Greene County? Will they have to close? Will they have to lay off their employees? What guarantees are there to the county agencies, including the schools, health system and municipal governments, that receive $7 million a year in revenues from bingo, that these funds will be continued or replaced with other funds? The lottery/gambling bill died in the legislature this session but it will surely be revived again in a future special or regular legislative session. The questions we have raised in this article and that are on the minds of Greene County residents remain unresolved. Greene County is a special case, we and Lowndes County, already have an established electronic bingo industry, which was not taken into consideration in the debate on the lottery/gambling bill in this year’s session. We must take actions to assure our interests and concerns are considered in future discussions of gambling in Alabama. The Democrat will stay on top of this issue and welcomes letters and comments from our readers.

  • Status Conference held in State AG lawsuit against bingo operations in Greene County

    Special to the Democrat by: John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    On Friday, September 28, 2018 there was a legal status conference in Eutaw on a lawsuit filed in October 2017 by Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall, against all electronic bingo operators in Greene County. The State of Alabama seeks to end the “public nuisance of unlawful gambling in Greene County by ending the use of slot machines and other gaming devices at five ‘casinos’ in the county”. State Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed similar lawsuits against electronic bingo in Houston, Montgomery, Lowndes and other counties, which like Greene, have passed Constitutional amendments to permit bingo. “This lawsuit is a clear and profound threat to economy, health and welfare of the people of Greene County,” said Attorney Michael Trucks of Fairfield who represents The Center for Rural Family Development, Inc. DBA Green Charity, one of the defendants in the case. Trucks pointed out in his interview with the Democrat that Greene County voters passed Constitutional Amendment 743, which permits “bingo and electronic forms of bingo to operate in Greene County”. He also indicated that Greene County’s Amendment 743 is the only one that specifically permits “electronic forms of bingo”, which the State of Alabama argues are illegal slot machines. Circuit Judge James Moore of Fayette, Alabama, is hearing the case since local Circuit Judge Eddie Hardaway had to recuse himself from the case. At Friday’s hearing, Judge Moore asked all of the plaintiffs and defendants in the case, the operators and charities connected to the five bingo establishments, to attend the legal conference to discuss the status and scheduling of the case. John L. Kachelman III, Assistant Attorney General, on behalf of Steve Marshall, Attorney General, represented the State of Alabama. Lawyers representing Greenetrack asked that the three main charities supporting its operations, E-911, Woman to Woman, Inc. and Greene County Association of Volunteer Firefighters be added as defendant to the lawsuit. Other lawyers asked to add the main beneficiaries of bingo fees through the Greene County Sheriff’s office including the Greene County Board of Education, Greene County Commission, Greene County Health System, Greene County municipalities and others, who receive monthly support from the bingo operations, as defendant in the lawsuit, so they could speak to the damages to their constituents and services from ending electronic bingo in the county.

    Judge James Moore asked all the parties to recommend additional defendants in 14 days. He will decide which defendant groups to add to the lawsuit and give additional time to serve those entities with the lawsuit and time for them to give a response. Attorney Trucks said that he did not expect this process to be completed until early in the new year of 2019. Commenting on this lawsuit, County Commissioner Lester “Bop” Brown of District 1 said, “ I have been warning for a long time that we cannot count on bingo funds forever. There is a simple way to deal with this lawsuit and that is to vote for the Democratic candidates for Governor, Attorney General, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on November 6.” “Walt Maddox, Democratic candidate for Governor, Joe Siegelman, Democratic candidate for Attorney General, and Bob Vance, Democratic candidate for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court all support Amendment 743 and will not interfere or try to stop electronic bingo operations in Greene County. If they are elected on November 6, this lawsuit will be withdrawn. “Anyone who is concerned about the jobs and livelihoods of Greene County people working in bingo and the many organizations, county agencies and charities serving the people of Greene County, based on bingo funds, need to turnout and vote for the Democratic candidates on November 6. You are crazy if you don’t vote that way,” said Commissioner Brown.

  • Community Conversation urges political participation on Dec. 12 to deal with community issues

    Doug Jones

    U.S. Senate candidate Doug Jones addresses community meeting in Greene County

    A ‘Community Conversation’ on Monday, October 30, 2017, at the Eutaw Activity Center sponsored by Greene County Chapter of Alabama New South Alliance, supported by the Greene County Chapter of Alabama Democratic Conference and other groups, heard from community leaders, elected officials, ordinary citizens and a special guest.
    The conversation dealt with three important issues – supporting the Greene County Health System, providing more recreational and educational opportunities for young people and involving more people in voting and the democratic process.

    Doug Jones, Democratic candidate for the U. S. Senate, in the December 12 Special Election, attended the meeting and made some remarks in support of his election.
    Greetings were given by State Senator Bobby Singleton and State Representative Artis J. McCampbell. Both legislators strongly endorsed Jones and urged voters to participate and vote in the December 12 Special Election.
    Commissioner Allen Turner, District 4 County Commissioner gave the occasion for the meeting suggesting that the community must participate and get involved and offer leadership and direction in solving problems facing Greene County.
    John Zippert, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greene County Health System, reviewed some of the problems facing the Hospital, Nursing Home and Physicians Clinic. He said that some of the financial problems of the health system came from Federal health-care uncertainties and the failure of the State of Alabama to extend Medicaid but the rest was our local responsibility in Greene County. He said, “ if we don’t use our health care system –we will surely lose it. We have doctors, facilities and services in Greene County which we need to use first before we go elsewhere to get our healthcare.”
    Lorenzo French discussed the importance of providing more recreational opportunities for young people in the county. He said that he was committed to starting a little league baseball team in the coming year. French’s comments set off an animated discussion by others on the problems of Greene County in providing adequate recreation and sports activities to involve young people. A committee was proposed as a way for more people to get involved in working to provide opportunities for young people.
    Sara Duncan and Commissioner Lester Brown spoke on the importance of voting and getting people registered and prepared to vote in the December 12th Special Election.
    Duncan says that she encounters many people who tell her voting doesn’t matter, it won’t change things and that their vote doesn’t count. “I am very patient with these people. I talk to them about the struggle and history of voting in Greene County and the relationship of voting to the progress we have made in Greene County.”
    After talking some will agree to register.
    Lester Brown said, “ The Special Election on December 12 is critical to opening the doors for Democratic candidates to run in 2018 for Governor and other state offices. We must work to get everyone to vote in this Special Election. Absentee and Walk-in voting are available right now, starting today, at the Circuit Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse. If you plan to be out of town on Election Day, you can walk-in to the Clerk’s office and vote early. This is a sure way to make sure you vote and have your vote counted.”
    Doug Jones, Democratic candidate for U. S. Senate, spoke at the end of the meeting. “I am glad that I attended this meeting and listened to the people of Greene County talk about some of the problems and issues in Greene County. This is not my last meeting or visit to Greene County. I will be back here after I am elected to work with you on the problems.”
    Jones said his staff advised him, when he was U. S. Attorney that prosecuting the Klu Klux Klan for the bombing and murders at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was a ‘long-shot’. “We took that long shot and won the convictions. We face another long-shot now in this election, but I feel that we are on the right side of history and will win this election with your support,” said Jones.

  • Sheriff Joe Benison meets with Hospital Board to discuss bingo funds

    Sheriff- Hostil

    L to R: GCHS Board members: Margaret Bir, Sheriff Benison, Lucy Spann, Elmore Patterson, Jasmine Smith, Pinnia Hines, Shirley Edwards and Rosemary Edwards. Not shown are Eddie Austin and John Zippert who also attended the meeting.

    Greene County Sheriff Jonathan “Joe” Benison, together with his executive assistant and bingo clerks, met with the Greene County Health System (GCHS) Board of Directors as part of their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss with the Board their concerns over the status of payments from electronic bingo parlors to the GCHS, which operates the hospital, nursing home, physicians clinic and home health services.
    On June 2, 2016, Sheriff Benison adopted a new rule for bingo which stipulated that the Greene County Hospital was to receive a fee of 4% of the amount paid to vendors, who provide bingo machines, to be paid to the hospital for providing health care services to the residents of Greene County.

    The Sheriff adopted this rule change as a way to share some of the revenues generated by electronic bingo, under Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743, with the Greene County Health Care System.
    Based upon estimates from the bingo clerks, Elmore Patterson, CEO of the Greene County Health System projected receiving $3,500 per month from each of the four operating bingo parlors as of June 2016. This would total $14,000 per month or $168,000 per year.

    The GCHS Board informed the Sheriff that since adoption of the rule in June 2016, the health facilities have not received these 4% fees from the vendors. The GCHS has received an average of $5,133 per month for the hospital and $ 1,104 per month for the residential care center (nursing home). These averages include a one-time payment of $30,000 from Greenetrack and smaller donations as a sub-charity from all of the bingo operation. The Anchor Group, the charity operating the River’s Edge Bingo facility is the only operation that has been paying the 4% vendors fee under the Sheriff’s rules.
    Sheriff Benison said that he understood the Greene County Health System’s concerns with the shortfall in the 4% vendors fee.
    He said that he wanted to discuss this with the bingo operators, including the Palace Bingo, a new electronic bingo hall at the Knoxville Exit on Interstate 20/59. He said that after he consults with the bingo operators that he and his clerks would report back to the GCHS Board of Directors.
    Elmore Patterson thanked the Sheriff for attending the meeting and said, “Health care is critical to Greene County. The GCHS is providing quality health care to residents of Greene County and surrounding areas. I just reported to the Board that we had an overall operating loss of $538,000 for the first six months of this fiscal year, which began October 1, 2016. This loss matches the half a million dollars of uncompensated care that the GCHS provided to Greene County citizens, during the same time period, with limited incomes who lack insurance or other health care payers. We are looking to electronic bingo, the county government and others sources to help us cover our deficit which basically comes from serving the people of our county who are poor and not covered by any health insurance.”
    All of the GCHS Board members also thanked the Sheriff for coming and listening to the concerns of the community. The members said they hoped to hear some positive response from the bingo establishments and the Sheriff in the coming weeks.

  • A renewed Greene County Health System…Part 2

    By Mynecia D. Steele

    GCHSjpg

    Greene County Residential Care Center residents socialize as they enjoy a balanced meal prepared by the cafeteria staff.

    The Greene County Health System (GCHS) believes in reaching out to the community, says CEO, Elmore Patterson. “We are encouraging people to come to the Greene County Health System through campaigns, billboards, posters and our website,” Patterson stated.
    GCHS hosts free semi-annual health fairs. These fairs are held with the intention of educating the public on health information, benefits and services that are available to them. These events are open to all, Greene County and surrounding communities alike.

    IMG_3278.JPG

    Monthly health screenings are also provided throughout the county along with diabetes classes. Many Greene County residents suffer with high blood pressure and diabetes.
    Town Hall meetings are held on a quarterly bases sponsored by the Greene County Health System. These meetings allow the community to voice their opinions and bring any concerns or thoughts to the attention of the GCHS.
    Patterson shared that the Greene County Health System also started the “I am Greene because . . .” campaign to give the community a chance to show their support for the health system.  One poster features Thom Smith, who says, “I am Greene because GCH saved me from a massive stroke.”
    Last year, the GCHS hosted A Day of Service in Branch Heights. As a result of this service project, every child in the Branch Heights community received eye checks and general physicals before the start of the school term.
    GCHS also provides meals to the elderly every November.
    The Greene County Health System hopes to make its mark on Greene County.  It strives to continue working with the community and informing them about health care and health disparities affecting African Americans in most rural areas.
    GCHS provides the only hospital in Greene County, therefore, it becomes the safety net hospital, said Patterson. This means that the GCHS must provide care for people who have no money, or limited resources.  Many Greene County citizens do not have healthcare. The GCHS must provide for them with no profit in return.
    “The county’s health status is lacking because the state of Alabama did not expand Medicaid,” Patterson said. “We care for about 1.2 million dollars of uncompensated healthcare.  The community must work together to help with those uncompensated people,” said Patterson.
    He expressed appreciation to Greenetrack, Inc. and the sheriff’s department for the help they have provided recently.
    The Greene County Health System is directing more people into its primary care. By visiting a primary care center, patients have the opportunity to build a relationship with a care provider whom they can follow up with regularly.
    Patients who visit primary care are also more likely to take their medication, and less likely to come into the emergency room for non-emergency services.
    The Greene County Health System plans to expand by setting up a primary care clinic in Boligee.
    Many people don’t realize that the Greene County Hospital is the closest emergency room in the West corridor of Alabama on I-20, which leads into Mississippi.  Therefore, the Greene County Health System cares for many motor vehicle accident victims.
    If outside people are willing to put their lives in the hands of the Greene County Health System, GCHS team hopes that the citizens of Greene County will also give them a chance.
    “The only way you’re going to know if its good or bad, is trying it.” Patterson said. “Trying it for yourself; not going off of a rumor. We have to get past that.  GCHS is ours. We should use the facilities and support them as well,” he emphasized.