News 

St. Mark’s Medical Center Announces Hospital Closing


La Grange, TX — October 4, 2023 St. Mark’s Medical Center (St. Mark’s), La Grange, Texas, is ceasing all operations and closing its doors, effective 7 am, October 12, 2023, announced the hospital’s Governing Board. The hospital closure results from St. Mark’s ongoing inability to meet its financial obligations.


In February 2023, St. Mark’s transitioned to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation that preserved emergency department services and most outpatient care while additional funding was diligently pursued to offset the $13 million mortgage debt, years of revenue shortfalls, and rapidly escalating expenses.


“Even with the new REH designation, the Board was clear that St. Mark’s needed additional outside financial support to pay the hospital’s mortgage,” said Dudley Piland, St. Mark’s Board Chair. “After several unsuccessful efforts to garner support, Hospital Centers of Excellence (HCOE), a local group of investors, stepped up with a plan that might be able to secure funding to continue healthcare services to the community.”


“The Board commends HCOE for their efforts and determination. Unfortunately, servicing the hospital’s liabilities and mortgage debt was apparently too great. HCOE’s plan and strategy to preserve healthcare services were sound; financing just did not come through,” Piland continued. “St. Mark’s would have faced closure years earlier had it not been for COVID-related funding and an agreement with the hospital’s mortgage lender and HUD to pay less than the full mortgage since February 2020.” 


Although Texas Health and Human Services Commission recently granted payments of $187,500 per quarter for six quarters to support Texas rural emergency hospitals and the La Grange Economic Development Corporation pledged $500,000 toward capital improvements, those funds are not sufficient to overcome the mortgage debt payments of approximately $160,000 per month and other ongoing expenses of the hospital. 


Piland added, “Closure is certainly not the outcome that anyone wanted for our community, the staff or their families. But without the additional local funding support HCOE was seeking, the hospital is out of options.”

Closure Plan


Patients needing emergency care should call 911, or go to the closest Emergency facility for treatment.


Human resource representatives are assisting staff members with information regarding unemployment and COBRA benefits.


“Ongoing financial struggles in rural health care are prevalent across the U.S., and unfortunately, St. Mark’s has not been able to overcome these challenges,” said Mark Kimball, St. Mark’s President and CEO. “I am proud of all that our team has accomplished in the delivery of award-winning, compassionate care to members of our community. It’s heartbreaking to be in this situation, but there just isn’t a sustainable financial path forward.”


St. Mark’s financial struggles are not unique in Texas or the U.S., according to research from the Rural Health Research Program in conjunction with the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Care Research at the University of North Carolina:  


“We truly regret closing this great facility, but this is our unfortunate reality,” Kimball continued. “I want to thank all of our local supporters who have reached out to share their appreciation for all that St. Mark’s has meant to them and their families over the years.”

For further information about medical records, patients can refer to smmctx.org, found under Our Services/Medical Records.

St. Mark’s Advanced Outpatient Wound Center team, front, left to right: Stacie Schramek, RN, and Jackie Faigle, FNP-C; back row, Jennifer Scott, RN, Program Director, with the team’s RestorixHealth Clinical Distinction Award. The team is one of only 26 in the US to achieve the goals in wound healing rates and safety.

St. Mark’s Advanced Outpatient Wound Center Among Only 26 in the US to Earn Clinical Distinction Award 

La Grange, TX – August 18, 2023 – St. Mark’s Medical Center (St. Mark’s) is pleased to announce that their Advanced Outpatient Wound Center is a recipient of RestorixHealth’s highest achievement, the Wound Center of Excellence Award. Recipients of this prestigious award meet or exceed national wound care quality benchmarks over a set period of time.


The Wound Center of Excellence Award distinguishes centers that have demonstrated exceptional success by meeting or exceeding clinical and operational benchmarks in several categories, including healing benchmarks. The award recognizes performance during the period January - June 2023.


“Our team has earned consecutive clinical distinction and patient satisfaction awards, but this is a step above and brings great pride to be recognized for the continuous excellence of ongoing quality of care that our team provides for its patients every day,” said Jennifer Scott, program director. “Our team strives to deliver the highest level of treatment, compassionately and effectively, helping our patients heal right here in their community.”

 

The St. Mark’s Advanced Outpatient Wound Center is dedicated to optimizing outcomes and preventing lower limb loss in those patients with non-healing wounds. The approach to wound care is aggressive and comprehensive, coordinating traditional and advanced therapies and techniques that are proven to reduce healing time and improve healing rates.


Types of Wounds We Treat

* Diabetic ulcers, including foot ulcers

* Arterial and venous ulcers

* Pressure sores

* Skin lacerations

* Gangrene

* Radiation burns

* Compromised skin grafts and flaps

* Post-operative wounds and infections

* Bone infection (osteomyelitis); and

* Traumatic injuries


Innovative Treatment Options 

* Debridement, to remove dead tissue, preventing infection and producing a healthy base for the tissue to regenerate 

* Specialized antimicrobial and compression dressings to prevent and treat infection, decrease swelling, and promote the growth of healthy tissue

* Pressure relief, or "off-loading" with physical aids such as custom orthopedic shoes, splints, casts, crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs

* Nutritional counseling, to promote healing with adequate levels of nutrients

* Antibiotic therapy and antibacterial ointments, and

* X-rays, blood cultures, and other laboratory and vascular studies


“Offering advanced wound care in our community is a game-changer for our patients who have chronic or intermittent wound healing issues,” said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of St. Mark’s. “The care that the center’s team provides improves the quality of life of these patients, as well as minimizes the inconveniences of lost travel time and driving in big-city traffic.”

 

St. Mark’s center is staffed with a multidisciplinary team with advanced training in wound care. Integrating a team of wound care professionals optimizes patient care, while offering the most advanced healing options. “We will assess your symptoms, determine the underlying cause of your non-healing wound and customize the most effective treatment plan to stimulate healing,” added Scott.


The Wound Center is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 979-242-2104.

St. Mark’s New State-of-the-Art Imaging Equipment Funded by Fayette County is Game Changer

La Grange, TX – July 21, 2023. St. Mark’s Medical Center's (St. Mark’s) purchase and installation of multiple pieces of imaging equipment through a $500,000 grant from Fayette County raises the facility’s capabilities, efficiencies, and patient safety. 

Included in the purchase are:

“The county’s generous donation from its American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant funds in late 2021 allowed for needed upgrades to our imaging services,” said St. Mark’s President and CEO Mark Kimball. “While it takes time to receive and install the equipment, and train our team to use, it’s exciting to see the better experience that the new technology brings for our patients. Our team is extremely appreciative of all that the County’s grant supported.”


“These new technologies are game changers for our team,”  said Ashley Havel, RT(R)(N)CNMT(CT), St. Mark’s Director of Radiology. “The dual-head gamma camera supports nuclear medicine services, which are a branch of radiology that involves the injection of a radioactive substance in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear imaging differs from radiology, as the emphasis is not on imaging anatomy, but on the function. This new camera is so much more efficient for our team and patients,” she added.


Havel continued about the second technology, the digital radiology (DR) imaging system, saying, “Purchasing and implementing the new DR technology system is a big performance improvement for our team. Not only are the images top quality, we have drastically improved our workflow, turnaround time, overall ease of use, while decreasing radiation dose to the patient.  We have waited some time for this upgrade and couldn't be happier with our purchase.” In addition to the mobile unit, St. Mark's also was retrofitted with two in-room DR systems.  


The C-Arm imaging device was initially used when St. Mark’s services included surgeries and is available for future use.

Left to Right: Noel Rios, Debra Meyers, Whitney Leer, and student Ally Trlicek, with St. Mark’s new portable digital radiology mobile unit. 


Ashley Havel, RT(R)(N)CNMT(CT), Director, Imaging Services I CVIC | PACs Administrator is pictured with St. Mark’s new Nuclear Medicine Gamma Camera

St. Mark’s Medical Center Recognized for Quality Laboratory Services

La Grange, TX, — July 5, 2023. St. Mark’s Medical Center (St. Mark’s) has met all the criteria for Laboratory Accreditation by COLA Inc., and earned two-year accreditation to provide quality ervice to its patients. 

COLA Inc. is a leading national laboratory accreditor whose program and standards enable clinical laboratories and staff to meet United States Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) and other regulatory requirements.

“Our lab team provides a vital service to our community,” said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of St. Mark’s. “Routine and diagnostic lab services play a critical role in helping doctors determine diagnosis and treatment, from complicated to routine tests and screenings. And having the convenience of local lab services for patients and their families is a game changer for many of our residents who don't need to otherwise travel for their health care,” Kimball continued. 

Through a mentoring approach using education to improve quality and patient safety, accreditation is given to laboratories that apply the highest standards of quality in day-to-day operations, demonstrate continued accuracy in the performance of proficiency testing, and pass a rigorous on-site laboratory survey. 

Laboratories of all types and sizes are evaluated and mentored to produce accurate test results and meet CLIA regulations. COLA Inc. is approved by the Federal government and sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Physicians. 

About St. Mark's Medical Center
St. Mark’s Medical Center (SMMC), is rated a 4-star hospital by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and received an ‘A’ Grade for Patient Safety by The Leapfrog Group. The Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) serves residents of Fayette and Lee counties, and surrounding communities, with highly skilled physicians, nurses and professional staff. Services include a 24-hour emergency department; observation; cardiac, respiratory, physical and occupational rehabilitation; wound care; laboratory and imaging services; mammography; as well as, sleep study.

About COLA
COLA, Inc. is a physician-directed organization whose purpose is to promote health and safety through accreditation and educational programs. In 1993, COLA was granted deemed status by CMS to provide laboratory accreditation. As a leading laboratory accreditor in the United States, COLA is the only laboratory accreditation provider that  operates its accreditation program in accordance with a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015. This means COLA offers its customers a unique, standardized program and staff dedicated to satisfaction and laboratory quality. COLA surveyors and technical advisors are guided by a coaching approach and uncomplicated quality engineered processes.

St. Mark’s Rural Emergency Hospital Status Approved, Quitta Leads Emergency Department

La Grange, TX — April 24, 2023. St. Mark’s Medical Center (St. Mark’s) officially received federal approval for rural emergency hospital (REH) designation in a letter dated April 12, 2023, from the Medicare Administrative Contractor. The designation is part of the St. Mark’s Board of Directors’ continued work toward a longer term solution to continue providing healthcare services to Fayette and Lee Counties.

Among the first hospitals in Texas to convert to the REH model, St. Mark’s notification advised that the designation is effective retroactive to the REH classification application date of Feb. 24, 2023. Under REH, St. Mark’s receives a 5 percent higher Medicare reimbursement and a monthly facility fee that helps address operational cost increases in areas including labor and supplies.

“I’m extremely proud of St. Mark’s staff as we navigate these changes,” said St. Mark’s CEO Mark Kimball. “We’re excited that veteran team member, Laurie Quitta, RN, now serves as director of emergency services. She joins Roger Willis, MD, Emergency Services Medical Director, in providing quality care to patients needing emergency care.”

“Our patients and their families can count on our compassionate and skilled emergency medicine team to be ready when they need us,” said Quitta.

In addition to 24/7 emergency services available under the REH designation, St. Mark’s also provides the following: 

> Observation
> Laboratory
> Imaging and X-Ray
> Mammography
> Nuclear Medicine
> Pharmacy
> Physical and Occupational Therapy
> Respiratory Therapy
> Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiovascular Imaging Center
> Wound Care
> Sleep Study

St. Mark’s Medical Center Pursues Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Designation and Revises Services
February 13, 2023 

 La Grange, TX — The governing Board of St. Mark’s Medical Center (St. Mark’s) voted unanimously to pursue becoming a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) to allow the hospital to remain open and continue to provide select medical services to the community. Effective Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, St. Mark’s will only offer 24/7 emergency medical services, patient observation, and select outpatient services. 

This new option for St. Mark’s is possible through a recent Congressional Rural Emergency Hospital, or REH, designation for financially struggling rural hospitals, and was adopted under emergency rule by the Texas legislators on January 13, 2023. The REH model is designed to maintain access to emergency and critical outpatient services in communities that may not be able to financially support or sustain a community hospital.

To qualify for the new hospital designation, inpatient services may not be offered, however, 24/7 emergency services must be maintained to assess, stabilize, and when needed, transfer patients to other facilities for more advanced care. Select outpatient services are also eligible within the designation, and hospitals approved for the designation will receive an increase in reimbursement for relevant outpatient services as well as a monthly facility payment from Medicare. Changes at St. Mark's will include:

St. Mark’s Services Continuing

Emergency Services - 24/7
Observation
Laboratory
Imaging and X-Ray
Mammography
Nuclear Medicine
Pharmacy
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Respiratory Therapy
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiovascular Imaging Center
Wound Care
Sleep Study

Services Closing, effective Saturday, Feb. 18

Inpatient Services
Surgical Services
Swing Bed (Post-acute Skilled Rehab Care)
Orthopedic Clinic
Ambulatory Care
Speech Therapy

Patients scheduled for upcoming elective services that require inpatient, or surgical care on Feb. 18 or after, should consult with their physician for options.

“For the decade that I have served on the St. Mark’s Board, we have struggled to make ends meet, including considering bankruptcy on more than one occasion. Even before the Hospital District proposal was defeated in 2019, our board and leadership team grappled with repaying our $13 million mortgage debt and offering the services that our community desired,” said Dudley Piland, St. Mark’s Board Chair. “We could have faced closure had it not been for COVID-related funding and an agreement with our mortgage lender to pay interest only — and not the principal — since February 2020.” 

“The new REH designation is the first significant change to Federal hospital designations in over 25 years, and shows that our government recognizes the unique challenges that rural hospitals face. Without this new Federal program, St. Mark’s would be forced to close the doors in the first quarter of 2023, an outcome that no one wanted for the staff, their families or our community,” Piland continued. “St. Mark’s is a blessing to have in our region, and we are committed to finding a way to keep it open in some capacity.”

Board Chair Piland added, “St. Mark’s is among the first hospitals in Texas to pursue the new REH model which is the next step in securing St. Mark’s financial future. We believe we have a path forward for the next year to allow us to secure funds from Federal, State and local sources to assure the long-term viability of St. Mark’s.” 

“The availability of this new rural healthcare model came at a critical juncture,” said Mark Kimball, St. Mark’s President and CEO. “While temporary Federal COVID-related funding helped many hospitals, including St. Mark’s, stay afloat during the pandemic, the impact of COVID to health care nationwide was devastating. Costs skyrocketed with no offsetting reimbursement increases from payers such as private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.” 

“Labor, like in most other businesses, is a significant operating cost for St. Mark’s," continued Kimball. “Current labor costs for staff and contracted labor increased by 31% compared to pre-COVID labor costs. Other costs for supplies and medicine have also been impacted by inflation. Factor in reduced patient volumes and uncompensated care to the equation, and you have an insurmountable situation for St. Mark’s.” 

“Our board and leadership team have exhausted every other financial avenue — from cost cutting to partnering with a hospital system or a full-on sale, as well as, seeking funding from our state and local governments to remain open,” Kimball added. 

“We are grateful to the Texas legislators, specifically the Health and Human Services Committee and Senator Lois Kolkhorst who Chairs that Committee, who valued rural hospitals enough to pass emergency legislation to help implement this new healthcare model (REH). We are optimistic that with this new REH designation, St. Mark’s can remain a viable, local healthcare facility. That being said, the revenues from the REH depend on how much the community utilizies St. Mark’s for their healthcare needs,” Kimball stressed.

“Similar to other rural areas, our community frequently utilizes us for emergency and outpatient services, but bypasses us for many inpatient and surgical services,” added Kimball. “Even with this new designation, paying the mortgage will continue to be a challenge and St. Mark’s will need additional financial support from the community to survive.” 

St. Mark’s financial struggles are not unique in Texas, according to research from the Rural Health Research Program in conjunction with Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Care Research at the University of North Carolina:  

Patients needing emergency care should always call 911, and St. Mark’s Emergency Department remains open 24/7.

“When you live in a small community where people know and look out for each other, decisions that affect your friends and neighbors are very, very hard,” said Kimball. “The Board and our leadership team looked for any way to avoid job and healthcare service losses. Rural Emergency Hospital is the only viable option at this time. If our patient volumes increase and financial status improves, one of the benefits of becoming an REH is that St. Mark’s could reopen inpatient and surgical services. St. Mark’s employees should all be proud of what they have accomplished as a team, as evidenced by recent local and national quality and safety recognitions.”

St. Mark's Medical Center Awarded 'A' Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group

La Grange, TX - January 9, 2023. St. Mark's Medical Center (St. Mark's) received an "A" from The Leapfrog Group. This national distinction celebrates St. Mark's achievements in protecting hospital patients from preventable harm and errors, and it reflects St. Mark's con-tinuous commitment to safety and quality patient care.

St. Mark's "A" grade is in the top 29% of all hospitals in the U.S., with only 78 other hospitals in Texas earning an "A," including all eligible St. David's HealthCare facilities. St. David's Medi-cal Center is the only hospital in the state to receive straight "A" ratings since The Leapfrog Group launched the Hospital Safety Score initiative (now known as Hospital Safety Grades) in 2012. St. Mark's is a clinical affiliate of St. David's HealthCare.

To determine the accreditation grade, The Leapfrog Group gathers 22 evidence-based measures of a hospital's patient safety, including hospital data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Measures include the management structures and procedures a hospital has in place to protect patients from errors, accidents and injuries. The Leapfrog Group then analyzes the data and determines the weight of each measure based on evidence, opportunity for improvement and impact.

"I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and trans-parency," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "An 'A' Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance so that they can best protect patients. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement."

"We are thrilled to receive this prestigious recognition from The Leapfrog Group," said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of St. Mark's. "It celebrates the work that our staff focuses on to keep patients safe."

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the U.S. based on a hospital's ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transpar-ent and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national per-formance measures and are updated each fall and spring.

St. Mark's Medical Center Earns Hospital Accreditation from the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ)
Hello
La Grange, TX - December 21, 2022. St. Mark's Medical Center (St. Mark's) has successfully met the requirements for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating compliance with Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ) Standards and the Conditions of Participation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This recognition reflects the hospital's continuous commitment to safety and quality patient care.

St. Mark's is among approximately 50 hospitals in Texas and 200 in the US, to earn the recognition. Ac-creditation is based on results of an unannounced, rigorous onsite assessment. The CIHQ accreditation team visited St. Mark's for two days in November, and toured the hospital, reviewed medical records, observed care practices, and interviewed staff and patients.

"CIHQ's goal is to partner with hospitals to improve the care provided in our communities," stated Rich-ard Curtis, Chief Executive Officer of CIHQ. "CIHQ is proud to recognize St. Mark's for achieving accredi-tation."

"We welcomed the CIHQ team to our facility and learned a great deal through the experience," said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of St. Mark's. "CIHQ has changed the stereotype of what surveys are to many in the healthcare industry. They used every opportunity to educate us on how we could correct or adjust practices, and our team embraced CIHQ's recommendations."

For more information, please visit the CIHQ website.

St. Mark's Advanced Outpatient Wound Center Earns Dual Awards: Clinical Distinction and Patient Satisfaction
October 6, 2022

La Grange, TX - St. Mark's Medical Center (SMMC) is pleased to announce that their Advanced Outpatient Wound Center is a recipient of RestorixHealth's Clinical Distinction Award and Excellence in Patient Satisfaction Award. The biannual awards acknowledge excep-tional success in wound healing rates, safety goals, and patient satisfaction.

Only three other centers in Texas, among a group of 53 centers nationwide, received the dual awards during the six-month period ending June 2022.

"We are extremely proud of these high distinctions that reaffirm the quality of care that our team provides for its patients every day," said Jennifer Scott, RN, Wound Center Program Director. "The clinical excellence award is a repeat, and now earning the patient satisfaction award shows how important patient feedback is in helping us deliver compassionate care to our pa-tients."

The SMMC Advanced Outpatient Wound Center is dedicated to optimizing outcomes and pre-venting lower limb loss in those patients with non- or slow-healing wounds from pressure, trauma or infection that can be made more complex from underlying conditions such as diabe-tes, circulation issues or previous radiation treatment. The approach to wound care is aggres-sive and comprehensive, coordinating traditional and advanced therapies and techniques that are proven to reduce healing time and improve healing rates.

"The care delivered in this clinic significantly helps improve the quality of life of our patients -- both inpatient and outpatient, who have chronic or intermittent wound healing issues, and who may not be able to comfortably travel for such care," said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of SMMC. "Our community is extremely fortunate to have access to care of this caliber available locally."

SMMC's center is staffed with a multidisciplinary team with advanced training in wound care. In-tegrating a team of wound care professionals optimizes patient care, while offering the most advanced healing options. Advanced wound care may include diagnostic testing, nutritional evalu-ation, infection control, specialized dressings, pressure-relieving devices, removal of tissue, and patient education.

The Wound Center is located within SMMC and is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 979-242-2104.

St. Mark's Medical Center Awarded Readers' Choice 2022 Best Hospital/Health Clinic
August 25, 2022

Best Nurse; Best Physical Therapist; and Best Physical Therapist Assistant

La Grange, TX - St. Mark's Medical Center (SMMC), several staff and associates were announced award winners in the 2022 Fayette County Record's Readers' Choice.

Readers of the Fayette County Record are annually invited to vote for their favorites in various profession and service categories. Award winners are announced in a special publication of the newspaper.

Health care award categories associated with SMMC in 2022, include:

"We are proud of our employees and local physicians who provide excellent care to our patients," said SMMC President and CEO Mark Kimball. "They are the best who help us do our best and provide essential health care services to our community."

St. Mark's Medical Center earns CMS 4-Star Quality Rating
August 8, 2022

La Grange, TX - St. Mark's Medical Center (SMMC) is proud to announce its 4-star quality rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), above the 2022 national average.

CMS ratings provide consumers with indications of a hospital's quality based on a 5-star scale, and annually compiles the ratings by assessing hospitals across the US in five sets of quality measures -- which also factors in performance measured against time:

Hospitals report their own data and are eligible to receive a rating if they report at least three measures in each of three or more measure groups, including either mortality or safety of care.

More than 4,500 hospitals were eligible to receive star ratings. The star ratings reflect a hospital's performance on those measures relative to other US hospitals in a "peer group," which is based on the number of measure sets in which a hospital reports enough data to be scored. In 2022, the average rating is three stars.

"We continue to see the fruits of our labor and are extremely proud of the hard work that our team has dedicated to improve the health and safety of our patients," said SMMC President and CEO Mark Kimball. "We know we're making improvements in care -- and in the information technology side -- and the 2022 CMS rating validates both."

"We are extremely pleased to see the overall strides we're making, including in our ability to capture data that reflects the safety of care and our patients' experience," said SMMC Chief Clinical Officer Tammy Hartfield. "The data provides us a more accurate picture of patient care and outcomes, and allows us to set measurable targets," she added. "In health care today, data integration across a facility's entire operation is a critical piece of the puzzle; it must be both accurate and accessible."