By Kaitlyn Rigdon
Staff Writer
EL DORADO — Chief Operating Officer of Medical Center of South Arkansas, Ross Korkmas, discussed what services the hospital performs and provides at the Kiwanis Club meeting last Wednesday.
Korkmas has been with MCSA for about four years. As COO, he oversees 11 departments and under his guidance, MCSA has been named a NICHE Designated Hospital (Nursing Improving Care of Healthcare Elders). He holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Texas, Arlington; a bachelors of science degree in emergency administration and planning from the University of North Texas and numerous certifications in emergency, crisis and incident prevention.
Korkmas managed the $3 million renovation of the Emergency Department at MCSA and the renovation of the third floor at the hospital.
Last year, CEO Robert Rupp asked Korkmas and a group of employees to reevaluate the mission, vision and values of the hospital. The new mission statement they came up with states, ‘Provide safe, compassionate, high quality care to our community.’
“I want you to choose us because of the mission that we have in place where we can provide that high quality, compassionate care,” Korkmas said. “We want to be trusted and we want to provide superior healthcare.”
MCSA has over 100 physicians on staff and are one of the major employers for south Arkansas, with over 500 employees.
In 2016, MCSA had over 20,500 Emergency Room visits, 3,700 people admitted as inpatients and received 54,000 outpatient visits. The facility is licensed for 166 beds, accredited by The Joint Commission.
There are also 10 Operating Rooms, plus two Cardio Vascular Operating Rooms, where they conduct open heart surgeries.
They provide the city with just under $1 million in property and sales tax per year, he said. Total community investment last year was just north of $41 million that the hospital provided to the community.
“Over the last five years, we’ve probably put about $15 million back into the hospital,” Korkmas said. “We did a little over $2 million in capital last year.”
The hospital also donates charity and uncompensated care, with $10.6 million in uncompensated charity for the community.
MCSA is an award winning hospital with numerous awards in many different categories. The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, and through them, have won awards for their quality metrics.
“We have one of the best in the entire company for reduction and serious safety events,” Korkmas said. “We have one of the lowest serious safety event risks of all the hospitals in our company.”
MCSA has also won an award for their stroke improvement and achievements. They have received the Stroke Silver Achievement Award from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.
They are also the only accredited chest pain center in south Arkansas. They accept heart attack patients and are open 24/7.
The Women’s Center has around 600 deliveries every year, Korkmas said.
MCSA also has numerous off site services, including a wound care program, physical speech and occupational therapy and many other outpatient services.
“My goal is to one, leave this hospital and this community better than when I found it, and two, make sure that this hospital is here fifteen to twenty years down the line,” Korkmas said. “We’ve done a lot of things to improve the patient’s experience and we’re taking good care of our patients.”
Kaitlyn Rigdon is a staff writer at the El Dorado News-Times and she may be reached at 870-862-6611 or by email, [email protected].