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Copyright 2008
Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722
Move to electronic records brings
Adena Health worldwide recognition
By Marvin Jones
President and CEO
Marcus Bost’s phone is probably ringing off the hook and his email Inbox full these days following the recent worldwide recognition of Adena Health System as a leader in implementing electronic health records.
Bost, the chief information officer for Adena, was featured in an article this week in InformationWeek as an example of how to move a health organization into the digital age on a relatively modest budget. It notes that Adena is in the midst of a five-year, $16.5 million effort to get doctors, clinicians, nurses, administrators and next, patients themselves, integrated into the system.
As noted in a Chillicothe Gazette article recently, area residents in the near future will be able to book doctor’s office appointments and check their medical records through the MyAdena portal. Residents will have much more information available to better manage their health care, ultimately reducing overall costs.
Bost is quoted in the article, “For physicians, the big buy-in for them has been that it really changes their lives. Instead of seeing 40 patients here during the day and then going home to face a couple hours of paperwork, they can take a few minutes at the end of each day to write up their notes in the system, and then it’s all done, right down to taking care of the bill-drops.” All 130 physicians at Adena are trained and using the system, the article notes.
The article goes on to note the high-definition telemedicine link the hospital has with Columbus that has reduced the number of transfers of newborns with problems from 140 two years ago to 70 the next and now only about 35 a year. Each transfer costs about $10,000.
The strategic planning of the board and management at Adena and the execution of the plan by the staff is bringing positive worldwide recognition to our community and providing better health care for area residents – a great combination.
Read the entire article: Information Week on Adena
Addition enables larger chamber conference room
By the end of this summer, chamber members will have another resource to utilize. The Board of Directors this week approved building an addition to our offices at 45 E. Main St. to accommodate a conference room that will comfortably seat 30, a doubling of our present capacity. The present conference room will be returned to office space.
The addition will be on a portion of the rear of the building and will not eliminate any parking spaces. It will be approximately 690 square feet. Following a competitive bid process, AKM Building Systems will oversee the work starting in June and finishing in August.
The larger conference room allows the chamber to host its own board meetings, conduct small workshops and seminars, hold Leadership Chillicothe Ross sessions and other functions that previously were limited because of lack of space. Members now will have a larger space to schedule their functions.
Corner lot slated for health care building
National Church Residences is currently in the planning stages to develop a senior center on Western Avenue at University Drive. The center will include adult day health care services, out-patient therapy and offices for NCR InCare Home Health and Hospice services. The development of this site has been an integral part of NCR's strategic plan to offer comprehensive serices to Ross County older adults. Variances for the site are up for review at the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday. Also up for review is NCR’s plan to convert the upper two floors of nearby Hopeton Village into assisted living quarters. Click here for a site map of the new 10,970 square foot structure.
Unions hoping for compromise on card check legislation
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is leading efforts to enact compromises in the Employee Free Choice Act, better known as card check. The efforts received a boost when Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties from Republican to Democrat. Specter’s earlier announcement that he would not support the legislation dealt a blow to supporters. Specter said, though, that he might support it if certain changes were made.
Two elements of the compromise would shorten the deadline for elections to be held to 21 days from the median 40 days it now takes and to use mediators, not arbitrators, to resolve disputes in talks toward a new contract.
The original legislation calls for recognition of a union if a majority of workers sign authorization cards and for arbitrators to decide the terms of a two-year contract if the union and company can’t agree.
We continue to urge our members to voice their opposition to the legislation at every opportunity to our senators and representatives.
Leadership class wrapping up with project and graduation
The 12 members of the Leadership Chillicothe Ross class of the chamber wrap up their activities in the next six days. On Saturday at 11, an unveiling ceremony is set for the renovated visitation room for Ross County Children’s Services at 150 E. Second St. The class project involved stripping the room and making it more comfortable for the parents who visit their children in a supervised setting. Chillicothe Carpet laid new laminate flooring Thursday while students from the Chillicothe High School art class earlier painted the rainbow mural. Lowes provided a discount on materials the same as Globe Furniture on furnishings. The class has its final session Wednesday before the graduation ceremonies Wednesday evening at the Ross County Heritage Center.
Ohio chamber pushing for one-year state budget
Citing “unprecedented economic times,” the Ohio Chamber of Commerce is urging the General Assembly to forego hammering out a two-year budget in favor of a budget covering just one year. The chamber notes that in 2008, the state had to make three separate spending reductions because revenue did not meet projections. April’s personal income tax collections were $322 million short of the revised December 2008 estimates. “It has become abundantly clear that revenue projections for 18-24 months from now have little or no meaning or relevance and cannot be relied upon for a state spending blueprint,” the Ohio chamber said. For more details: Ohio chamber budget proposal
Tidbits worth sharing:
- Photo at top of newsletter: Advanced Services’ Dave Pinkerton gave Head Start students and upclose look at his race car during the Family Fun Day Thursday at the Ross County Fairgrounds.
- “Dining Under the Stars” is the theme for the sixth annual fundraiser for Traditions on Thursday, June 4. It’s 6-8 p.m. in the heritage courtyard with a silent auction, music, cash bar and family-style dinner. Proceeds go for special programs and activities for the residents there. Call Lynn Digges or Bonnie Harris at 773-8107 for the $25 tickets.
- New chamber member Bernie and Max Stained Glass Studio plans a grand opening on Saturday, May 16 at its business on North Paint Street. The studio offers supplies for the creation of stained glass works in addition to creating its own works of art.
- Do you or your employees having trouble making ends meet each month? The Ross County EITC Coalition offers this month free budget coaching. Participants will get a coach to discuss needs vs. wants, checking accounts, debt management, savings and taxes. To get an appointment: Traci Harris at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, 773-0012 Ext. 113.
- Where are the orange barrels this week? All you need to find out is to go to the chamber’s homepage on www.chillicotheohio.com or click the link each week on this newsletter to learn about road construction in ODOT’s District 9.
- Is the world your market? A workshop in Athens on May 13 might help. International Trade specialists from the U.S. Department of Commerce and trade managers from the Ohio Department of Development, Global Markets Division will lead discussion on the essentials of preparing your business for international sales and marketing. To register: Going Global
Newest chamber member:
Curves, 20 Executive Drive, by Savoy Faire LLC, Anastasia Savoy, 779-2113.
Commercial building permits issued recently by the Chillicothe Building Department:
- Mark and Pamela Justice, 95 E. Water St., roofing, value $6,500.
- HCRA Properties (Heartland of Chillicothe), 1058 Columbus St., 947 square foot addition, $200,000.
- Ross County YMCA, 100 Mill St., alterations, $20,000.
- Barbara and Arlie Johnson, 77 W. Fourth St., electrical, $200.
- Lloyd and Billie Trego, 1 Susan Drive, roofing, $14,000.
- Jeffrey Webb, 81 N. Paint St., roofing, $13,000.
- Chris and Traci Good, 231 E. Second St., alterations, $100,000.
- Ron Bettin, 23 S. Paint St., roofing, $5,000.
- Chillicothe Shopping Center, 10 Consumer Center Drive, hood and fire suppression system, no value given.
