Price set for clinics

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Weston County Health Services has been operating the Newcastle and Upton clinics for over a month now, but the final valuation price of the purchase was only just announced at the Aug. 19 Weston County Health Services board of trustees meeting. 
According to CEO Maureen Cadwell, the district will pay $98,462.31 to Monument Health for purchasing the clinics, a price that includes both the capital and the cost of minor equipment and supplies. 
When other expenses are included, the total cost for the acquisition and transition will reach approximately $446,601.83, according to information provided by Cadwell. 
These expenses include computers, staffing costs, emergency medical record recording system implementation, new signs and other costs associated with the transfer of the clinics. 
The process of purchasing the clinics from Monument Health began late last year. As previously reported, the district will be able to use several programs, including the 340B program,  to operate both the clinics and hospital. 
Cadwell also hoped that moving the clinics under the Weston County Hospital District umbrella will help the public realize that they, not Monument Health, own the local facilities. 
“We are owned by the citizens of Weston County and the hospital district. We rely on the taxpayers to support many things that we have done,” Cadwell told the News Letter Journal. “For the people, we can bring their health care under the same umbrella. Hopefully, it will be less confusing that way.” 
 
Two new providers
Two new health care providers will be joining the community next year if everything goes as planned. The couple, whose names are yet to be released, will be relocating from Oregon, bringing interests in different specialties, including sports medicine and obstetrics-gynecology. 
On Aug. 19, the Weston County Health Services board of trustees approved a promissory note of $100,000 to each of the providers that will be paid in cash on their start date. Over the course of five years, the $100,000 will be forgiven at the rate of $20,000 per year.
According to Cadwell, the promissory note is common practice in the medical field, and
if either provider leaves before the five years has elapsed, they owe the district whatever funds remain. 
“If that is standard, I would be all for it. To get two in one shot, that is pretty rare and fantastic,” said trustee Jeff Virchow, before the promissory note was approved. 
“They have come out to do interviews and are looking at buying land,” Cadwell said. 
She noted that during their interview, Cadwell drove with them north on U.S. Highway 85. When returning to town, they came upon a motorcycle accident. 
“They (the two providers) got out to help until the ambulance arrived. We were out there about 30 minutes. I joked when they got back to the car that this was their interview and they did great,” Cadwell said.