Cedar County Memorial Hospital Board Meeting Highlights Oncology Growth, Bed License Increase
September 28, 2026 – The Cedar County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) Board of Directors met on September 23, with all board members in attendance, to review hospital operations, finances, and long-term strategic planning.
In his report to the board, CEO Don Carpenter highlighted the successful launch of CCMH's new oncology services, which are up and running and receiving referrals, exceeding expectations in their first two weeks. Before the close of the meeting, attendees toured the newly remodeled oncology suite.
Carpenter announced CCMH will increase its bed license from 10 to 15 beds ahead of the onboarding of new primary care providers in the coming months.
Hospital leadership continues work on a strategic plan for 2027–2030, following a second group planning session in September. The process includes defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely (SMART) goals and tactics that reflect the organization's values and priorities.
Carpenter expressed gratitude for and pride in staff teamwork during an unplanned two-week Meditech system downtime in August. In his written report, he noted that patient care continued throughout the disruption, including 303 patients seen at the Medical Mall Clinic, 203 at the Specialty Clinic, and 170 emergency patients, in addition to many other hospital services provided during that period.
The board also discussed the August IT incident. Carpenter shared that a foreign cybercriminal network had demanded a ransom, which the hospital did not pay. A forensic investigation into what data may have been copied is ongoing.
Lorraine Gallette, BSN, RN, has accepted the position of nurse leader, a role that also includes responsibilities for Utilization Review and Infection Prevention.
Bryce Walker was introduced as CCMH's new Information Technology Manager. Walker brings strong work experience and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in IT.
Chief Nursing Officer Jennie Noakes, MSN, RN reported the hospital remains on track to apply for stroke certification in December.
CFO Carla Gilbert presented the August financial report, cautioning that the two-week downtime affected the accuracy of the month's figures. The Meditech system outage, which ran from August 14 to August 28, created a backlog of charges that is still being processed. Gilbert expects much of the late revenue to be reflected in September's financials but said the resulting shortfall in August revenue was roughly $1 million below typical, expected income.
Monthly total gross operating revenue was $2,262,266, compared to $3,289,668 in August 2025. Total net operating revenue was $877,625, compared to $1,695,623 in the same month last year. Operating expenses totaled $1,920,714, compared to $1,870,975 in August 2025. The hospital reported a net loss of $1,009,613 for the month, compared to a loss of $137,000 in August 2025.
Days Cash on Hand decreased from 121 days in July to 115 days in August.
Following the CFO report, the board rescheduled its October meeting to October 29.
About Cedar County Memorial Hospital
Cedar County Memorial Hospital, located in El Dorado Springs, Missouri, has been serving Cedar County and the surrounding communities since 1960. With 10 acute care beds and a dedicated team of more than 130 healthcare professionals, the hospital provides a full range of services, including 24-hour emergency care, advanced diagnostic imaging (CT and MRI), clinical laboratory testing, surgicalMedia Contact:
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