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9/26/2007 Brookville and DRMC Sign Agreement BROOKVILLE HOSPITAL & DRMC ANNOUNCE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT The Board of Directors of both Brookville Hospital and DuBois Regional Medical Center announced today that they have entered into a management agreement to help make regional health care more efficient for the residents of both communities. The agreement, signed by Brookville Board Chairman, Dr. Ed Richards, and DRMC Board Chairman, Richard Pfingstler, will go into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 26. "Rural hospitals throughout the country are having difficulties, "Richards said. "The Board of Director of the Brookville Hospital knows how important the Hospital is to the community and feels that this agreement with DRMC is the best way to maintain health services in Brookville." "The goal of the Board of Directors is to ensure that Brookville Hospital remains a viable entity providing health care services to the residents of the area," Richards said. With this agreement, physicians on staff can continue to admit patients and the Hospital will continue to be one of the largest employers in the area while meeting the healthcare needs of our citizens." "We believe that this agreement will provide a way for both hospitals to meet the increasing demands placed upon rural health care organizations," he added. "Keeping services local in order to avoid long trips to urban areas for health care is a strategic goal of all hospitals in our region. DRMC's expanding line of advanced health care services will provide more local options for the loyal patients of Brookville Hospital." According to the agreement, DRMC will help manage the daily functions at Brookville Hospital while looking for ways to strengthen the Hospital's services. "We are proud to continue to collaborate with Brookville Hospital," Pfingstler said. "Every project between the two hospitals in the past has proven to be very beneficial for area patients and the hospitals. We believe this agreement will also provide strength to our region's health care system." This is not the first collaboration between the two hospitals. Some of the services that DRMC provided assistance to the Brookville Hospital include geropsychiatric services, chemotherapy and medical oncology services and cardiac catheterization services. "Brookville Hospital has a long history of providing care to residents of the neighboring region," DRMC President Raymond A. Graeca said. "We plan to capitalize on that tradition by strengthening programs where appropriate, while at the same time looking for ways to forge an even stronger relationship with the Hospital and its family of workers, physicians and Board members." Robert Fisher was terminated as CEO of Brookville Hospital Tuesday by the Board of Directors. DRMC Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, John Sutika, will oversee the management agreement between the two hospitals. Sutika began his career at DRMC in 1985 as an accountant and also served as the manager of accounting and controller at DRMC before assuming his current position in 1990. He is a 1983 graduate of Gannon University. He has been a certified public accountant since 1985 and recently received a master's degree in health administration from Warren National University. Sutika has been a key administrator at DRMC. He is responsible for financial, accounting, tax and compliance functions of DRMC as well as many of its clinical ancillary departments. He oversees the management of all internal financial operations, including the maintenance of a system of internal controls. He also oversees the following DRMC departments: Accounting, information systems, materials management, business office, patient registration, revenue management, Hahne Regional Cancer Center, imaging, laboratory, outpatient scheduling and physician referral, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutrition services and maintenance. Among DRMC affiliates, Sutika holds various positions, including secretary of the Nathaniel D. Yingling Cancer Center, Secretary/Treasurer of the DuBois Medical Risk Retention Group, Board member of the DuBois Regional Medical Group and board member of the Pennsylvania Highlands Healthcare, Inc. "I look forward to the many opportunities that this assignment presents," Sutika said. "I know DRMC has actively pursued a collaboration strategy with the area hospitals, and this is a great opportunity to capitalize on the strengths of each hospital."
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