Carson-Tahoe Hospital expected to approve bid for construction

Carson-Tahoe Hospital trustees are expected to approve today a bid from K7 Construction of $617,884 for construction of the new catheterization lab.

The project calls for replacing the 14-year-old machine currently in use and converting the existing lab into two sections, one for cardiac catheterization and a second for radiology procedures.

Seven cardiologists and seven radiologists presently share the facility which handles about 600 to 800 procedures annually.

In other business:

-- Affiliation with either Sutter Health or Universal Health Services is under consideration, but hospital officials are also looking at the possibility of either converting to a nonprofit corporation or remaining a county nonprofit hospital.

Formulation of the committees to research the last two options may be discussed, and the members would be designated in a closed meeting on Friday.

"We're continuing with due diligence through site visits to additional (Sutter and Universal) hospitals as well as looking at their audited statements and current month-to-date financial statements," Richard Linkul, the hospital's marketing director, said.

Detailed presentations of all four options will be brought to the Board of Trustees and the public late in January.

-- The Board of Trustees may approve the release of $225,000 from board-designated funds to cover equipment, supplies, and start-up costs for the new Urgent Care Center. This will be the final OK for a project that has taken about a year to complete. On the north end of the Carson Mall, the facility is expected to open in February.

The center is designed to provide a cheaper alternative to the emergency room and is geared to urgent but non-emergency care. It will be open 12 hours a day for walk-in patients.

The 4000-square-foot space will also house ancillary services such as cardiac rehabilitation and wellness.

-- The board will consider a proposal by a neighbor in Minden who is interested in purchasing land near the Minden Medical Center. The center itself would not be involved but there are about four acres of undeveloped land at that site.

What: Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees Meeting

When: Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.

Where: Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.