In a Thursday afternoon update to his board, Trigg County Hospital CEO John Sumner gave a resounding endorsement of the facility’s ambulance fleet — noting it’s “the best it’s ever been.”
Indeed, the hospital’s newest model has only 2,400 miles on it, while a second one has 3,700 and a third has right at 10,000.
The next four ambulances, however, are north of 100,000 miles but are either in working order — or good enough to park for either parts or a worst-case scenario.
Sumner said the two oldest ones could be up for surplus if the board so chose. One with 159,000 miles has already been taken out of service because of air conditioning and electrical issues, but it does have a relatively new transmission. Sumner added the ambulance with 183,000 miles is in “better working condition.”
A suggestion for surplus came from Sumner because the hospital typically staffs two ambulances at a time, and he said that five ambulances in the fleet would be enough.
In fact, Sumner said keeping a sixth, or a seventh ambulance even, could prove beneficial for things like non-emergency runs, medical taxis, mutual aid calls to surrounding counties, natural disasters and other life-threatening (but rare) events.
The December tornadoes immediately impacted Graves, Caldwell and Christian counties, and Sumner said Trigg County was able to offer relief.
Board member Joe Nichols was one of many to note that the hospital should keep one, if not both, of the older models. Sumner said the boxes were all in good shape, and in the end, it wouldn’t be too much of an insurance issue to sideline them.
Sumner also noted that surplussing an ambulance didn’t draw quite the fetch it once did. He said he’s seen ambulances go for less than $4,000 frequently, and some even less than $2,000, and that really wouldn’t impact the hospital’s budget.
What would impact the hospital’s budget, Sumner said, is to get 25,000 more miles or so out of these older wagons.
In other hospital news:
— Sumner reported that Dr. Peter Doll, newest podiatrist from Henderson, is seeing between 14 and 18 clients a day. He’s been successful and well received, and Sumner added that it’s possible he could be looking for a second day per week as demand increases.
— The full renovation and remodel of the Save On Drugs into a new clinic should be complete in the next 30-to-45 days. Sumner said once equipment is procured and installed, Dr. Ellie Jolly and another practitioner will move into the building, which has been the plan all along.
— Private room renovations at the hospital are on hold, Sumner said, because it could be two or more weeks before state officials can inspect the new wing’s HVAC systems.
— A remodel on the old Dr. Bostick building is also on hold, Sumner said, because there’s a need for more time to sort out the funding mechanism of its repairs. Originally used by the hospital as a COVID vaccine unit and purchased with COVID monies, Sumner said this was a project that could wait until others are tended.
