Texas County Memorial Hospital’s inpatient satisfaction scores have increased by six percent, board members heard at their monthly meeting on Feb. 24.
April Crites, TCMH quality and risk management director, presented patient satisfaction data to board members and highlighted the significant increase. Crites reported that the improvement was largely driven by higher ratings related to overall happiness with physicians and physician communication.
“Communication with physicians has improved to 85.2 percent, a 2.5 percent increase, and overall patient happiness with their physicians rose by 2.73 percent,” Crites said. “These gains reflect the ongoing commitment of our care teams to patient-centered care and ensuring every patient feels heard and cared for.”
Press Ganey, a health care performance improvement company, uses surveys and data analysis to gather information from patients about their experiences and perceptions of quality of care. TCMH patients receive their Press Ganey surveys post-discharge. The data is utilized by TCMH to identify areas for improvements and enhance overall outcomes. A continued focus on quality and safety ensures the hospital is consistently improving patient satisfaction.
“Clear, compassionate communication makes a significant difference in how patients experience their care,” Bill Bridges, TCMH chief executive officer, said. “These results show our physicians and care teams are building stronger connections with patients, which directly impacts satisfaction and overall outcomes.”
CONGRESSIONAL VISIT
In other business, Bridges shared that U.S. Congressman Jason Smith visited the hospital on Feb. 18. Joining Smith on the hospital tour were leaders from the City of Houston, members of the Texas County Commission and State Rep. Bennie Cook. During the visit, Bridges and members of TCMH administration discussed key rural health care issues, including the Rural Health Transformation Program for Missouri and the importance of the 340B drug pricing program in helping rural hospitals provide affordable care and maintain essential services.
“We were pleased to welcome Congressman Smith and members of his staff, and we appreciate the time he took to listen to some of the issues we face in rural health care as well as our concerns with the Rural Health Transformation Program and importance of the 340B drug pricing program for our community,” Bridges said. “Rural health care faces many challenges, and this visit provided an important opportunity to emphasize the urgency of addressing those challenges to ensure long-term sustainability.”
POTENTIAL PROVIDER
Bridges reported that Laura Lawson, a physician assistant from Rolla Dermatology and 3D Wellness recently visited TCMH to explore the possibility of renting space in the TCMH Outpatient Clinic, located inside the hospital. Lawson is interested in seeing patients one to two days per month. Pending completion of the credentialing process, Bridges said he is hopeful Lawson could begin seeing patients possibly in April.
Lawson specializes in conditions affecting the skin, hair and nails, as well as menopause treatment and weight loss with medical dermatology services that include biopsies, skin cancer detection, acne, rashes, wart treatment and cosmetic procedures.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Bridges also shared that Texas County Day at the Capitol will be held next week on March 3 in Jefferson City. He said the event provides an opportunity for Texas County residents to spend a full day engaging directly with state leadership, learning more about state government and discussing issues important to the community.
Helania Wulff, TCMH public relations and marketing director, invited board members to attend the upcoming “Stay the Course” workshop, scheduled to be held at the hospital from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 9. The day-long workshop will bring together hospital leadership, staff and community partners to review progress on previously identified initiatives and evaluate the impact of completed work.
Wulff explained that the workshop will also include facilitated discussions focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration and developing strategies to improve cardiovascular health outcomes in Texas County. The event is part of an ongoing community-driven effort to address chronic disease, strengthen preventive care and align hospital and community resources toward shared health goals.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Linda Pamperien, TCMH chief financial officer, presented the January financials, which reflected a decrease of $530,431 in overall revenues based on budgeted monthly expectations.
“Our inpatient volume decreased $348,318, a 25 percent decrease, and our outpatient revenue decreased $192,998, a 2.4 percent decrease from our budgeted monthly expectations,” Pamperien said.
Pamperien noted that the month of January had three payrolls, which increased expenses for the month. At TCMH, the average payroll is almost $1 million per pay period.
Pamperien reported that the hospital recorded 76 admissions in January, a decrease of 14 admissions compared to the same period in 2025.
The financial report showed the hospital’s earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization (EBIDA) were positive at $57,474 for January.
Present at the meeting were Crites; Bridges; Wulff; Pamperien; Courtney Owens, chief nursing officer; Christopher Baldwin, MD, chief of staff; board members Jim Perry, OD; Ross Richardson; Joleen Durham; Jennifer Hugenot and Jerri Crump.
The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is at noon Tuesday, March 24, in the hospital board room.