§ 16-24-1-12 — Powers and duties of board of managers

The board of managers has the following
powers and duties:
(1) To appoint a superintendent of the hospital as an executive
officer who shall manage the hospital on behalf of the board of
managers. A superintendent appointed:
(A) after January 1, 1982, must:
(i) be experienced in administration and qualified by training
to manage the hospital;
(ii) have a baccalaureate degree and at least three (3) years
experience in administration in a hospital or related health
care facility; and
(iii) have a graduate degree in health facility administration
and have completed at least one (1) year residency in a
hospital or equivalent experience; and
(B) on or before January 1, 1982, must:
(i) be experienced in administration and qualified by training
to manage the hospital; and
(ii) have a graduate degree in health facility administration
and have completed at least one (1) year residency in a
hospital or an equivalent experience, or have a baccalaureate
degree and at least three (3) years experience in
administration in a hospital or related health care facility.
(2) To fix the salaries of the superintendent, the business
manager, and other officers and employees within the limits
approved by the county executive or the county fiscal body. The
salaries are compensation in full for all services rendered.
(3) To determine the time required to be spent at the hospital by
the superintendent in the discharge of the superintendent's duties.
(4) To supervise, manage, and control the hospital, and the
hospital's grounds, buildings, officers, employees, and patients,
and all matters relating to the government, discipline, contracts,
and fiscal concerns of the hospital, and to make rules to carry out
the purpose of the hospital.
(5) To inspect the hospital and be informed of the affairs and
management of the hospital.
(6) To keep a proper record of the board's proceedings open at all
times to the inspection of members, the county executive, the
county fiscal body, and authorized representatives of the state
department.
(7) To allow bills and accounts, including wages and salaries,
without advertising the filing of claims, and to certify and
transmit the bills and accounts to the county auditor for payment
from appropriations made for that purpose by the county fiscal
body.
(8) To make a detailed report to the county executive annually,
and at the time as the executive directs, that includes the
following:
(A) Information on the operations of the hospital.
(B) The number of patients received and the methods and
results of treatment.
(C) Detailed estimates of the money required during the
ensuing year for all purposes, including maintenance, direction
of buildings, repairs, renewals, extensions, improvements,
betterments, replacements, and other necessary purposes.
(D) Other matters the county executive requires.
(9) To receive, administer, and hold for the benefit of the hospital,
gifts, donations, bequests, and trusts of property of any nature or
kind made or given to a hospital, and to agree to conditions and
terms specified by the donor. The board is not required to account
to any municipal, county, or state official concerning the
disposition or use of this property or the income derived from the
property except that the funds are subject to examination by the
state board of accounts or the county executive. Gifts, donations,
bequests, or trusts made or given before March 6, 1947, that are
not administered by the board, come within the jurisdiction of the
board for administration. Funds received from donors or income
from gifts or bequests shall not be taken into account for
expenditure in the preparation of the hospital budget.
(10) To determine, as of January 1 and July 1 of each year,
whether the hospital is fully utilized by tuberculosis patients. If
the board finds that the demand for care of tuberculosis patients
does not warrant the full utilization of the hospital, the board may
authorize the hospital to furnish care to persons suffering from
chronic illnesses other than tuberculosis, upon terms and
conditions of admission, treatment, care, and payment as the
board prescribes.
(11) To meet at least one (1) time each month at a designated
place in the county where the hospital is located, and at least one
(1) time each year on the hospital premises.
(12) To expend hospital funds, advance tuition payments, or
establish a tuition refund program for the education or
professional improvement of nurses and other professional or
technical employees for inservice training, seminars, or special
courses of instruction, for the direct benefit to the hospital.
(13) To contract for the sharing or purchase of services with other
hospitals when considered economically feasible by the board.
(14) To contract for services reasonably required for the operation
and maintenance of the hospital, including the management of the
hospital, on terms and conditions considered reasonable by the
board.
(15) Upon the recommendation of the superintendent, to fix the
compensation of hospital employees and adopt personnel and
management policies that may include the following:
(A) An employee benefit program that provides for paid
vacations, sick leave, paid holidays, paid personal leave, and
paid leave for purposes of attending educational seminars.
(B) Payment of advertising and placement fees for personnel
and physicians.
(C) Programs for the benefit of the personnel, volunteers, or
physicians that directly contribute to productivity or morale, at
an annual cost not to exceed the lesser of the following:
(i) One quarter of one percent (0.25%) of total hospital
revenues for the preceding calendar year.
(ii) Four thousand dollars ($4,000).
(D) Except as provided in section 15 of this chapter, a plan to
provide coverage for the illness or accidental disability of
hospital employees and insurance plans for hospital personnel
from any insurance company licensed to transact business in
Indiana.
(E) Pension and retirement plans for hospital personnel from
any company authorized to do business in Indiana.
(F) Participation in the public employees' retirement fund
subject to IC 5-10.3-6.
(G) Deferred compensation agreements with employees and
other personnel. Deferred obligations may be funded by
contracting with insurance companies licensed to transact
business in Indiana.
(H) Payment of dues of the superintendent and department
heads for membership in local, state, or national hospital or
professional organizations if the board determines that those
expenditures directly benefit the hospital.
(I) Operation of employee registries for part-time or temporary
hospital employees.
Planned expenditures and programs shall be incorporated in the
annual hospital budget subject to the approval of the county
executive and the county fiscal body.
(16) To purchase insurance coverage for the protection of the
hospital in amounts and under conditions the board considers
reasonable and necessary, including liability or malpractice
coverage for board members, the officers, employees, volunteers,
and members of medical staff committees for omissions or acts
committed in the performance of services for the hospital. The
board may for the express purpose of acquiring malpractice
coverage assist in the formation of a mutual insurance company
that does not issue assessable policies.
(17) To expend hospital funds for the following:
(A) Reasonable expenses incurred by persons and their spouses
who are interviewed for employment or for medical staff
appointment.
(B) Reasonable moving expenses if the persons are employed
or appointed.
(18) To use automated data processing systems to keep hospital
records and to purchase, lease, operate, or contract for the use of
any automated data processing equipment subject to IC 5-17-1.
Any major purchases or lease of data processing equipment or
systems must be reviewed with the county data processing board.
(19) To dispose of the following:
(A) By sale or otherwise, personal property of limited or no use
to the hospital without advertising, auctioning, or requesting
bids if the salvage value does not exceed two thousand five
hundred dollars ($2,500).
(B) Other personal property that the board considers no longer
necessary for hospital purposes at public auction after an
appraisal by three (3) disinterested owners of taxable real
property in the county.
The board shall publish notice of the sale one (1) time at least
seven (7) days before the date of the sale. The board shall
determine the time, terms, and conditions of the sale.
(20) To enter into agreements with credit card companies or
organizations authorized to do business in Indiana and to accept
credit card payments for services provided.
(21) To contract for services of consultants, architects, or other
professional persons or firms, including shared services or
purchasing organizations, when considered necessary by the
board or when not in conflict with this chapter.
(22) To purchase, construct, remodel, repair, enlarge, or acquire,
including the leasing of county real property with lease back
provisions for carrying out this chapter, a building within or
outside the county for hospital purposes. If the building is located
outside of the county, the board must receive the approval of the
county executive and the county fiscal body of the county in
which the hospital or building is located.
[Pre-1993 Recodification Citation: 16-11-1-4(a)
part.]

Legislative History

As added by P.L.2-1993, SEC.7.