- Call to Order (Michael Hemesath, Board Chair)-
Announced closed session after this meeting so that marketing strategies are not shared with the competitors. Allowed per state statute. Stature cited.
(Mayor Zweifel and City Administrator and presenters listed in the Executive Summary also in attendance in addition to Board Members.)
- Welcome Josh Salzman, COO
New employee. Introduced himself.
- Regular and Consent Agenda
- 8/28/25 Board Minutes –Approved
- Reports
- Hospital Chief of Staff Report (Jennifer Fischer, MD Chief of Staff)
- Medical Staff Files
- Hospital Chief of Staff Report (Jennifer Fischer, MD Chief of Staff)
No concerns tonight. Montion to approve medical files as presented, seconded and passed.
- Presentations/Action items
- Annual Marketing & Community Relations Update (Julie Nikolai Sullivan, Director of Marketing & Betsey Spethman, Director of Communications)
Meet people in a variety of ways (social media, website, email marketing, video tours, direct mail, billboards)- reach more women than men. Try to engage patients in conversation. Communications include magazine, facebook, events, news, PR, website, video.
In past year the leadership transition was important news. Message of continuity, stability and strong legacy.
Advocacy on State Bills with legislators and ICE Concerns and staff communication on how to handle immigration issues was big this past year.
Since Meta stopped fact checking, encouraged readers to carefully consider that when looking for information on medical issues. Provided other sources of information on website.
Stopped boosting posts on Meta due to this cessation of fact checking.
Made a bigger effort to reach people through closed groups in communities we serve.
Magazine has been very successful. Shifted to 2X per year from 3X a year to save postage. This has been well received by the community. Finalist for Folio Award for best custom magazine.
Community Reach expanded with HealthFinders and Library programs on nutrition and want to do one on menopause.
Quarterly radio interviews with doctors
PR across the region: Cancer Care Accreditation, 600 births in 2024, Wound Health Center Awards, listing as one of the100 Great Community Hospitals.
Foundation: 2024 wishes granted
2 grants from Rice County for lactation consulting and for 40 nurses to go through lactation training.
Trying to reach a younger generation through Snapchat (content for ages 20-35)
Urgent Care you can schedule online – colonoscopy, mammogram and visits
Health Care reminders via text
Can do more through texting to take the heat off call centers.
AI used for navigation.
Ships out google reviews to those who should get the information
Website is mort important form of communication
Micheal asked if AI had both English and Spanish Options. AI not yet implemented so question could not be answered. Website can be easily switched to Spanish.
- OB Strategic Planning (Nicole Strusz Mueller)
OB currently is seeing patients in clinics, delivering babies, surgeries and transgender medicine. Most go to Northfield location, but also Farmington and Lakeville. Expanding to Faribault. Currently serve 7 zip codes. Started Strategic Planning in early July and wrapped up in late September. Goal is to find growth and what are the unmet needs in Rice and Dakota Counties. Want to increase patient access, reduce patient outmigration, quality and safety measure, keep staff engaged, service line growth (menopause, sexual medicine and obesity medicine) and achieving Level II Nursery and re-starting Childbirth education Classes.
Fred Rogers asked about service line growth and its budget impacts. He wants to know if any of the services will bring in more revenue than costs. Zander mentioned that gynecological services is one of the revenue makers. Big theme of the Strategic Planning will drive higher financial volumes.
- Adverse Health Events process change (Lisa Bauer, CNE)
Change in the process with Adverse Health Events are reported. Adverse Health Events are serious large preventable incidents in the facility resulting in harm to the patient. MN Law requires reporting to MN Department of Health within 15 days of discovery. Need to report a corrective action plan within 60 days. In last 5 years only 4 reportable events at Northfield Hospital. Lisa reviewed Northfield Hospital & Clinics specific procedure for reporting internally. Some changes to this procedure include that the Board will be informed within 3 days of incident. Statistics collection time for reporting will be longer this year as the reporting year dates will change going forward.
Micheal Hemesath wanted to know if this is something that is marketable? Zander Abbott mentioned that NH&C is trying to champion our overall quality without specifically mentioning incidents. Kate wants to know how we compare. All information on all hospitals is on the Minnesota Department of Health website.
- Bond Re-financing (Eric Guth, CFO)
2015 Bond Debt refinancing. $3,805,000 ballon payment due 11/1/2025. Working on refinancing. Wintrust Bank provided only proposal for refinancing. 20 year amortization offered. Balloon payment in 7 years. Interest rate will remain the same. Financing committee is putting to full board for approval.
Fred Rogers pointed out that the amortization schedule creates the discipline of paying down the hospital debt.
If the full Board Accepts the financing proposal, it will be approved at October 7 City Council Meeting and close in mid-October.
Motion to accept the recommendation of the financing committee was offered, seconded and passed.
- Executive and Committee Reports
- Financial Report (Eric Guth, CFO)
August was a tough month with a $1.1 million shortfall. Inpatient days were the lowest since November of 2024. Births, surgeries, CCIC (Cancer Care) and Wound Care were all low and all of these are big revenue. Big impact in acuity in Wound Care – a lot more low acuity visits and thus lower revenue. Could be a document and coding issue as well. Not a lot of other Wound Care in the area, so not likely due to loss to other providers.
When Fred Rogers asked about bad debt, Eric Guth reported that 55% of bad debt is people with health insurance.
Fred Rodgers also noted decrease in revenue linked to activity but not a decrease in operations. Guth explained that the ER and Operating Room need to be ready to go whether or not there are patients to use them. Staffing levels are somewhat fixed whether or not there are patients. Zander Abbott mentioned that overall, August was a bad month and we have to increase overall yearly volume to balance months that come in low.
- CEO Report (Zander Abbot, President & CEO)
- Launched the Pain Management Clinic.
- Highlighting Patient Story about impact of Wound Care Center
- Strategic Priorities – Employee Engagement Strategy – Scored 46 (National Average 51). Learned a lot about how to improve -communication and rewarding team members. Overall work/life balance, good management and patient safety were considered high marks. Resurvey will happen in 11 months
- Culture of Safety Survey – Patient safety rating 77%. Top strengths: Staff support busy times, work together, managers action on safety.
- CMDI – Central Minnesota Diagnostics Inc – move from capital purchase to lease. Result in MRI upgrade. Cooperative with member hospitals.
- Respiratory season vaccination guidance – supporting patients in understanding options due to new messaging from the CDC. Covid-19 vaccinations will be offered at NH+C 9/29/25.
- Minnesota Paid Leave Program is now required starting January 2026. NH+C will use state-run insurance program with auto-enrollment. Expense split to both employees and employers. No public money available.
- Updated Board Terms are now on portal and end on April 30. New roster is on City Website as is Board Calendar.
- Rural Health Transformation Program: Money could end up here or somewhere else. Strong direction to put money with Rural Independent Hospitals. Up to Governor Office for submissions. Money could be available in State in 2026 – not necessarily available from hospital.
- Quality Committee Verbal Report (Katie Lane)
Added safety to the name of committee. CMS pay for performance got a reward on operating DRJ payment. New dashboard on strategic priorities. Safety piece gets 1.4% bonus.
- Budget and Finance Committee Report (Fred Rogers)
Talks about investment portfolio and investment advisors continue. May move some of financing. Will evaluate strategi priorities about investments.
- Round Table/Announcements/Questions
- BREAK
Closed session regarding Marketing Activity followed the regular meeting of the Board.
