Peter Savoy, CEO of Eureka Springs Hospital, announced at the Hospital Commission meeting April 16 he has accepted a position starting May 31 at Byrd Regional Hospital, a 60-bed facility in Leesville, La., recently purchased by Allegiance Health Care. Savoy said the move allows him to work only from one hour from his home in Mamou, although he very much enjoyed his time in Eureka Springs. His successor should be named soon.
Vicki Andert, Chief of Nursing at ESH, said the hospital is in the process of joining the Arkansas SAVES (Stroke Assistance through Virtual Emergency Support) Program in which vascular neurologists throughout the state share their expertise and technology to assist stroke patients.
ESH is also getting involved with the Eyes of a Champion program sponsored by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in which underprivileged children in the state receive free eye care and glasses.
Commissioners got an update from Chris Berger of Elite Home Health Care of Eureka Springs which partners with ESH. Berger said Elite provides health services so recovering patients can stay at home. Their census presently is about 85 patients, which Berger said is down a bit from the previous quarter.
Chair Michael Merry stated the survey of the property adjacent to ESH that the commission recently purchased is almost complete.
Commissioner Barbara Dicks reported the two mysterious safe deposit boxes belonging to the commission were opened. No current commissioners were aware of the boxes, what they held or who might have had a key. Dicks said one of them was empty but the other had two documents related to the purchase of the property, which is now the ESH parking lot. She said the documents are now safely stored at city hall.
Next meeting will be Monday, May 21, at 12:30 p.m., at the ECHO Clinic.