Methodist Stone Oak Hospital donated three automatic external defibrillators to Reagan High School. These defibrillators are important to have during sports in case of an emergency.

Ronald Reagan High School, named after our fortieth president, is the newest comprehensive, 5A high school in the Northeast Independent School District. Reagan, opened in August 1999, has an enrollment of approximately 3460 students in grades 9-12. Reagan High School is located in the North Central area of San Antonio at the edge of the Texas Hill Country.

We are pleased to announce the newest member of the Methodist Stone Oak Hospital (MSOH) team, HR Director Gerald Shackelford.

In addition, we have finalized and budgeted for a staffing “ramp up” plan. A survey was sent to all existing MHS employees to gauge internal interest in MSOH. The results will assist coordinating transfers and ensuring backfill for all facilties.

Shared Employee job postings are online with six shared employees hired to date.

Through the month of November, curbs and asphalt were placed at the Northwest parking lot. Utility runs across Sonterra hae been coordinated and are now ongoing. The backup generator has been installed. Masonry is ongoing with 90% of the stonework at the front entrance having been completed while the majority of brick around the hospital has been laid. Exterior windows are being placed and the exterior shell is projected to be complete by the end of January 2008.

Interior framing is ongoing with mechanical, electrical and plumbing being installed close behind. Drywall will start going up from East to West. Congratulations to Skanska for maintaining an injury free work environment.

Thanks to the recent great weather in December significant progress has been made on the hospital. However, due to the fifty inches of rain earlier in 2007, the opening of the hospital for patient care has been scheduled for the spring of 2009.

Just as the Methodist Stone Oak Hospital “high tech” building continues to take shape, we are laying our “high touch” foundation by hiring the best and brightest. We are proud to announce the hiring of Candace Cole, RN, as the Director of Surgery. Candace joins Methodist Stone Oak Hospital (MSOH)as an eight year veteran of Methodist Healthcare System where she most recently served as Assistant Nurse Director at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital. In addition, Stephanie Fritz joins us as our recruiter who will work full-time helping to recruit the best possible caregivers for the Methodist Stone Oak team.

Several of the tools that should help us recruit the best healthcare providers include our Shared Employee Program (SEP) and the Harcourt evaluation tool. The SEP allows future team members to join the Methodist Healthcare System now and get oriented and work until their position is ready at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital.

The Harcourt evaluation tool uses a baseline personality profile of the best current Methodist Healthcare System team members to help evaluate potential MSOH team members as the first hospital in San Antonio to utilize this evaluation tool.

I extend a special thank you to members of the Methodist Stone Oak Advisory Panel for their support in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society “Light the Night” walk. With their generous support we reached our individual team goal. More importantly, the Light the Night campaign and its city-wide supporters have to dat raised $580,000. Thank you.

Dean M. Alexander, CEO
Methodist Stone Oak Hospital