Amber Williams, CEO of Southwest Medical Center, gave the commission a quarterly update on staffing, outreach and community services.

Williams said the hospital moved in September to an outsourced hospitalist model for cost savings and more consistent coverage. "We moved to an outsourced company to manage our hospitalist program ... to bring the model down to what we thought it should be, which is one hospitalist and one PA instead of three and three," she said.

On recruitment, Williams said an internal medicine physician who previously did locums work will start in December and that the hospital has a contract under review with a second orthopedic surgeon who is a spine specialist. "We refer about 24 patients a week out for various spine and neck issues that doctor Abraham will be able to take care of," Williams said, describing plans to start a spine program to reduce outside referrals.

Williams also reported outreach with Southwestern College (Winfield) about clinical placements and apprenticeships for nursing and allied‑health programs. She summarized the hospital’s recent health fair: last year’s donation enabled free lab draws; this year the hospital performed 916 lab draws, hosted about 1,300 attendees, and completed more than 2,600 free screenings and exams.

Williams said landscaping and trail improvements are under way using restricted donations managed by the Seward County Southwest Medical Center Foundation and that she will provide quarterly updates to the commission.

Ending: Williams offered to supply additional materials on request and confirmed she will return every quarter with updates.