Lamb Healthcare Center

History

The hospital, in its current location, opened on August 1, 1979 as Littlefield Medical Center, under a management contract with a national hospital operator Hospital Affiliated, Inc. Lamb Healthcare Center and LHC Family Medicine celebrated its 36th anniversary earlier this year.

Over the years, three other management companies were involved with the hospital, prior to the Hospital Authority resuming daily control in October, 1988. In 1991, the voters of Lamb County petitioned for the hospital to become a county hospital.

The rural health clinic was the result of a merger of two clinics in 2003. The clinic logged over 15,000 office visits during the last fiscal year, which ended September 30. The hospital leases the clinic building from Covenant.

Services & Staff

The hospital is open 24 hours a day and is staffed by medical professionals. The hospital owns and operates LHC Family Medicine which is staffed with local Physicians, a Family Nurse Practitioners, and a professional trained staff.

Community medical services provided by the hospital include trauma, emergency room, general surgery, outpatient services, OB services, skilled nursing facility, lab and x-ray and acute care.

The hospital delivers 9 to 15 babies each month. The hospital routinely handles up to 250 to 300 emergency room visits each month.

Cindy Klein is the hospital administrator. The administrative team includes: Joan Williams, Administrative Assistant; and Stacie Styron, Director of Nurses.

The hospital is staffed by over 140 full and part-time employees. The average daily census at the hospital is 7. Maximum capacity is 42 patients.

Funding & Governance

It operates with an annual budget of approximately $10 million, of which approximately $1 million is from county taxes. The hospital is governed by a board of managers made up of residents from across Lamb County. Many of the members have served for years. Members include: TonyBarton, President, Carla Synatchk, Treasurer; Jeni D. Brunson, Secretary. Also on the board are: Marcy Demel, Steve Busby, Belinda Chapman, Brian Calaway, and Steve Graham. The board meets monthly.

Tree of Hope Contributions

Lamb Healthcare Center is constantly upgrading equipment and computer software so that is can provide quality, professional health care to all of its patients. It is also evolving to meet the challenges presented by the changing healthcare environment.

The hospital has a Tree of Hope in a hall through which residents can honor a loved one with a contribution to the hospital's foundation. The contribution is recognized with an addition of a leaf to the tree. These funds then purchase equipment for the hospital.