Former health agency director cited for role in developing national plan for accreditation

By Buck Collier, Special Correspondent
Posted 10/5/22

HERMANN — Almost a year after his retirement, the former head of the Gasconade County Health Department has been recognized for his role in helping craft a national accreditation plan for …

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Former health agency director cited for role in developing national plan for accreditation

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HERMANN — Almost a year after his retirement, the former head of the Gasconade County Health Department has been recognized for his role in helping craft a national accreditation plan for public health agencies.

Unfortunately, because of its size and staffing level, the agency he headed for several years isn’t able to obtain the accreditation — at least in the foreseeable future.

Health Department Executive Director Kenna Fricke on Sept. 26 told the agency’s Board of Trustees that former Executive Director Greg Lara was among the authors of the accreditation process that were cited during a recent conference of public health officials in Columbia. The model contains a lot of boxes to be checked regarding various public health services that are offered, among other things, to qualify for accreditation, Fricke said. Too many boxes, in fact, for most non-urban agencies to check.

“It is going to be really hard to meet” the accreditation requirements by health agencies in rural counties, she told the board. “I know we’re not ready yet” to seek the accreditation, she added.

Board President Stan Hall, presiding over the regular monthly meeting held via Zoom, acknowledged that rural counties are at a disadvantage in participating in programs such as this one.

“It’s a great goal, but if you don’t have the staff or finances, it’s difficult,” he said.

There is a hard-dollar cost to health agencies for remaining in the good graces of one of the two national accreditation organizations, Fricke said, noting that state health department officials are trying to find a way to help counties such as Gasconade take part in the program.

“That state is looking at that — how can they help bring us down the road, get more counties accredited,” she said.

As for Lara, Fricke said he was glad to hear that the work he did on the project going back to 2019 — which was shortcut somewhat by the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic — finally came to fruition.

“He was really excited,” Fricke told the board, explaining that she got hold of Lara while he was enjoying a moment of retirement.

“He was out in the mountains trout fishing” when she called the former executive director, she said. Lara retired in January. He and his wife moved to New Mexico to begin the next chapter of his life.

As for the accreditation designation itself, Fricke said it actually amounts to little more than “bragging rights” for a county. It allows a county to point to the designation based on the various services it provides, but offers no other tangible rewards.

In other matters taken up by the trustees, a remodeling of the health agency’s work space continues to hang fire. Fricke said the department has reached out to local architect Nick Godat, but he remains busy with other projects. One of those projects is a big effort by the Gasconade County R-1 School District to construct new, more-secure entryways at the district’s three classroom buildings. That project has been sidelined for the time being because of the inability to obtain the necessary materials — a victim of the prolonged supply-chain problem caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An option for the agency might be contacting the architecture firm that worked on Hermann Area District Hospital’s new clinic in Bavarian Hills shopping center at highways 19 and H.

“They did a great job with it,” Fricke said of the new clinic that was just recently opened.

The trustees prefer to work local, if at all possible, and Fricke said that Godat indicated that if he isn’t able to work the health agency project into his schedule, other local architects might be available.

“The idea behind the remodeling is to make (the agency’s space) more accessible,” Fricke told the Gasconade County Republican. “Open up the cubicles to meet people and to make the exam rooms more private,” she said.

The agency also is in the process of acquiring more cold storage for vaccines and other items. New freezers will be purchased with grant money coming in the wake of the pandemic.

“We still haven’t received it, but we’ve been guaranteed it’s coming,” she said of the funding. “I just need to pick the brand and make sure they’ll fit into the buildings,” she added.

The new freezers are needed because the current coolers are filling up — thanks in large part to the vaccines ordered to fight the coronavirus, which has eased again in Gasconade County.

“We’re back to ‘Green’ now,” Fricke told the board, referring to the level of COVID cases in the county. Hoping to keep the virus in check, the agency has an adequate supply of vaccine, she said.

“We continue to offer both Moderna and Pfizer. We’ve been hosting clinics at the Senior Center and for HADH employees,” Fricke said.

Home COVID tests remain available at no charge, she added.

“If you know anyone who needs a home test, we have a ton,” she said. She noted that the agency hands out between five to 10 tests a day to walk-in clients, but, she added, “we’re hitting them at other places when we can.”