SPH Board of Directors Meeting – September 24

Monthly Board meetings are generally held every fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm.  The public is welcome to attend the meetings virtually and in person in the hospital’s conference rooms (located on the lower level – please use the Bartlett Street entrance).

Click here to join Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 878 0782 1015 Pwd: 931197
Phone Line: 669-900-9128 or 301-715-8592

Meeting agendas, minutes and packets can be found here. Packets are generally posted on the Monday prior to the Board meetings.

Information on how to join the virtual meetings and make public comments can be found here: Attending Board of Directors Meetings Virtually

South Peninsula Hospital, Inc. is non-profit organization governed by an 11-member board of directors which ensures the hospital is fiscally sound while maintaining the quality of care and types of services desired by the residents in the Southern Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area.

The board members are appointed to three-year terms upon completing an interview process by the board’s Membership Committee.

The Board welcomes and encourages community input for the direction of your hospital. Please plan to attend a meeting (public comments are welcomed at the beginning and end of the meeting), or email a message to them at sphbod@sphosp.org.

Brake for Breakfast: October 1

Grab a FREE breakfast bag with treats and lifesaving breast health information at one of three convenient locations while supplies last!

  • Homer: Alaska Islands and Ocean Parking Lot (95 Sterling Hwy) Hosted by South Peninsula Hospital
  • Fritz Creek: Fritz Creek General Store Parking Lot (55770 East End) Hosted by Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic
  • Anchor Point: Rise N’ Grind Coffee Shop (33810 Sterling Hwy)

For more information, please email wellness@sphosp.org or call 907-235-0285.

Interesting in Serving?

Applications are being accepted to serve on South Peninsula Hospital Board of Directors. Deadline to apply is September 30, 2025. 

 

Healthy in Homer September Newsletter

SPARC Walks

All are welcome to these open walks: strollers, elders, walking sticks, wheelchairs, etc. No sign-up is required! Some Mondays, we will be offering health education opportunities such as flu shots, blood pressure checks, surveys, and more. Starts Monday, September 8

Senior Wellness Day

Calling all seniors citizens! Join us for a fun-filled afternoon hosted by South Peninsula Hospital in collaboration with local agencies. Participants can expect a presentation on “Frailty, Fractures, and Reducing Falls” with Dr. Joe Llenos, lunch, freebies, blood pressure checks, resources from local organizations, followed by a beginner level fitness activity!

 – 
September 10, 2025

Kachemak Bay Campus

RSVP here

New Electronic Health Record and Patient Portal

South Peninsula Hospital (SPH) will roll out a new electronic health record (EHR) in August. Known throughout the industry as Epic, and with a patient portal named MyChart, this new EHR is expected to help streamline care and improve experience for both the patients and the staff who provide their care. This change will happen in all patient care areas except Long Term Care and Home Health, which are separately licensed facilities.  The go-live dates are Saturday, August 9 at the hospital and Monday, August 11 at the clinics. 

Read more

Leadership transitions at SPH

Rachael Kincaid, DNP, APRN, has been named South Peninsula Hospital’s Chief Operating Officer. Rachael has served as the organization’s Chief Nursing Officer and Long Term Care Administrator since 2022. 

Rachael received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Medical University of South Carolina with a focus on gerontology. Prior to South Peninsula Hospital, she worked in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area, specializing in hospice and palliative care. Rachael succeeds Angela Hinnegan who recently left after five years on the hospital’s leadership team to serve as Chief Financial Officer at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna.

Amber Gall, RN, has been named the new Chief Nursing Officer. Amber has been a trusted nursing leader at SPH as Director of Surgical Services since 2020, where she successfully increased department staff retention, decreased the need for travel staff and expanded surgical services offered locally.  Prior to SPH, Amber worked in Wyoming in both critical access and surgical specialty hospitals. She looks forward to being part of the executive leadership team with a continued commitment to high standards of care, staff development, and patient-centered practices.

Ryan Smith, hospital CEO, feels fortunate to have such talented leaders already in place to make for an easy transition. “Rachael and Amber have earned deep respect and trust from both our medical staff and employees in a short period of time. Their strong ties to the community, deep understanding of our organization, and unwavering dedication to patient care position them to make a meaningful impact on the hospital’s future. We are also incredibly grateful to Angela Hinnegan for her exceptional leadership and service as COO. Her steady guidance has laid a strong foundation, and we deeply appreciate her many contributions to our mission and team.”

SPH Long Term Care Earns 2025 National Quality Award

South Peninsula Hospital’s Long Term Care (SPH LTC) has been recognized as a 2025 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award recipient by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The award is the second of three distinctions possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which recognizes organizations that meet progressively rigorous standards of performance to further improve the lives of residents and staff in long term care.

“Earning the Silver award is an incredible honor for our team,” said Katie Martin, Director of Nursing and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator of South Peninsula Hospital Long Term Care. “This accomplishment reflects our commitment to continuously improving the quality of care and services we provide to our residents each day. We are proud of the progress we’ve made and remain dedicated to continuing our efforts toward providing high quality care to our elders and others in need of long term care.”

The National Quality Award Program has three progressive levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. At the Silver level, recipients have met the criteria for the Bronze award and can now move on to the final and most prestigious level of the program, the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award. Trained examiners review each application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria.

Data shows that Silver and Gold awarded providers outperform the rest of the nation. SPH LTC earned the bronze level in 2024, and has continued with significant improvements in several key areas, particularly in workforce development and quality of care. These advancements have led to better resident outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits, decreased use of antipsychotic medications, fewer depressive symptoms among residents, and lower staff turnover rates.

In response to workforce needs, SPH LTC has successfully developed, implemented, and sustained an in-house Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program. These efforts have contributed to high satisfaction rates among residents, their families, and staff.

“Earning the Silver award is no small feat, and South Peninsula Hospital Long Term Care has demonstrated exceptional commitment to quality improvement,” said Cathy Bergland, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board Chair. “This recognition is a clear reflection of their hard work and unwavering focus on delivering superior care and service to residents and staff.”

The National Quality Awards will be presented during the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, October 19-22, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV.  More information on SPH Long Term Care can be found at https://www.sphosp.org/services/long-term-care/.

Communication Disorder Support Group

Join us for a Communication Disorder Support Group on the last Saturday of each month. This group offers a welcoming space for individuals with speech, voice, and communication disorders and their families to share experiences, access resources, and find encouragement to communicate in supported ways. Please contact Martie Klouser, MS, CCC-SLP at (907) 235- 0372 with questions.