Ameen returns to help Logansport Memorial Hospital face challenges, including 'financial struggles'

Josh Flynn, Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind.
·3 min read

Mar. 29—It hasn't been a full week since David Ameen was appointed interim CEO of Logansport Memorial Hospital by the Board of Trustees, so it's understandable if he's feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Ameen, a longtime healthcare executive who served as the hospital's CEO from 2010-2015 before retiring, said he's been trying to relearn the hospital systems. Overall, he said it felt good to be back.

Ameen will meet with the full Board of Trustees next week and begin formal discussions on a plan to replace former CEO Perry Gay, who resigned last week after seven years at the hospital.

There are multiple challenges facing Logansport Memorial and other rural hospitals. Finances are a concern moving forward.

"The community needs to know the hospital has some financial struggles," Ameen said. "COVID was not good. There were a lot of people who could not pay for their treatment. We do have some financial issues we need to deal with."

Other issues include stabilizing the hospital's information system, staffing and upcoming changes to Medicaid.

The hospital changed to a new information system right before the COVID pandemic began. An information system includes data that physicians keep to track patients' progress. It's also used for registering patients at check-in and for billing. The timing for the change couldn't have been worse, said Ameen.

"There was pressure on the hospital from taking care of sick patients, there were staffing issues and changing the information system really impacts every individual in the hospital," he explained. "So I think getting that system functioning to the best advantage for all of our employees and medical staff is one of our challenges."

Ameen said that rural hospitals are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding and keep staff members, particularly nurses and physicians. He said a lot of the issue comes from smaller populations to recruit from. But pay is also a problem.

"People may think we are a long way from Indianapolis, Lafayette or South Bend of Ft. Wayne, but when someone is looking at a job, there's not that much difference," he said. "If they get paid more for doing the same thing we do here, it makes it a challenge for us to match the salaries and wages that they can get at other places. Our employees deserve to be paid competitively."

There's also the upcoming changes to Medicaid. Coverage protections that were enacted during the pandemic will end April 1, meaning those who use Medicaid must reapply and submit their current income and household information.

"They are dropping up to 500,000 people in the state of Indiana and they don't all know it," Ameen said. "That's going to be a challenge with people coming in who expect they are covered and they are not. Then we will have to work with them to reapply and try to get some reimbursement."

Rural hospitals get less in reimbursement funds compared to urban hospitals, he said.

Ameen said the hospital staff is as strong or stronger than it was when he retired. He credited their commitment—especially the nursing staff—as one of the biggest reasons the hospital has remained strong. He was also appreciative of the community support.

"As I told the staff, the reason I came back is because of the community and the staff here," he said. "I care about the people here. I also like to contribute. Since I've retired, I've felt when I'm not doing a job I'm not contributing anymore. I may not be a spring chicken but I still think I have something to offer health care. And I want to do that."