By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Interim Massena Memorial Hospital CEO Ann Gilpin on Monday participated in her first meeting of the Board of Managers where she said privatization and affiliation are among her priorities. She also highlighted areas where, in her first few weeks on the job, she sees the hospital as doing well.

"My priorities right now are to continue to work with the town and hospital board to become a 501c3 (non-profit entity) and complete the affiliation," she said. "In my short time here, I have found this hospital to be providing excellent healthcare to this community."

A joint statement from Town Supervisor Steve O’Shaugnessy and MMH board chair Scott Wilson released after the meeting echoed Gilpin’s thoughts on the transition.

“Be assured that the Massena Town Council and Hospital Board of MMH are working together in order to move forward with a long term sustainability plan for the hospital to affiliate with a larger hospital system to ensure its future viability in order to maintain the very best medical care that can be provided to our community well into the unforeseeable future,” the joint statement said.

MMH is in the process of transitioning from a town-owned facility to a private, non-profit entity. They are in an ongoing asset transfer negotiation with the town that needs to resolve before they can convert. Once privatized, officials have said they intend, to a yet-to-be-determined degree, affiliation with a larger healthcare network.

Interim CEO’s Highlights

At the Monday meeting, Gilpin went on to highlight areas where MMH is doing well. She discussed the DaVinci robotic surgery tool that Dr. Dalkeith Facey uses for hernia repairs and Dr. Jeffrey Greenberg uses for gynecological procedures. Hospital officials have previously touted the DaVinci as a device they say results minimally invasive procedures, less blood loss, shorter post-surgery hospital stays and minimal scarring.

"We're very pleased [Dr. Facey] has, to date, done over 55 cases," she said of the recently introduced tool.

She also pointed to Facey earning a spot on DaVinci’s national list of surgeons using the device.

"We are proud and pleased he has done that," she said.

In another area, Gilpin said they expect to have a full hospitalist program in place by the summer, where MMH will have their own doctors who focus on just treating hospitalized patients.

In addition to that, she says they will consolidate physical therapy and outpatient rehabilitation services and move them under one roof at 269 Andrews St. on Aug. 6.

Gilpin was hired for no more than two months at the June MMH board meeting after former CEO Bob Wolleben abruptly resigned for unclear reasons. She is being paid $40,000 per month for no more than two months, according to previous statements from town officials.

She was the president and CEO of Oswego Health System in Oswego from 2007 until 2015. Prior to that, she was the president and CEO of Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville.