Could joint hospital with Hillsboro be in the future?
Options to be explored
Staff reporter
St. Luke Hospital officials will continue to move forward on a master plan for the facility for the next three to five years.
Chief executive officer Jeremy Armstrong presented information at the Jan. 23 meeting of the board of directors of Marion County Hospital District #1 about options associated with the strategic planning process.
The hospital had received a free master facility plan from Morris Company at a recent convention.
Through the planning process, building options will be explored including remodeling and expansion at the existing site or a joint facility with Hillsboro Community Medical Center.
In other business:
— Chief financial officer Hillary Dolbee reported revenues were significant less than budgeted because the hospital census was down — for both inpatient and outpatient.
The hospital compensated by reducing expenses where possible, she said.
The hospital district received its first tax draw of $329,000. The district holds $1 million in CDs and $500,000 in an investment and collateral account.
Dolbee reported the financial condition of the hospital has improved 95 percent compared with the same time last year. Last year at this time the hospital had a net loss of $338,000 compared with a current net loss of $13,600.
A two percent increase in expenses reflects employee bonuses.
A slight increase of revenue was noted for Marion County Home Health and St. Luke Living Center remained the same for December.
— The board approved a one-year agreement with Northern Shared Medical Services for mobile MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) services. The previous provider, Alliance Imaging, was not flexible with scheduling scans and significantly increased costs for the services.
The new company charges per scan and the former company charged a flat rate to the hospital for each visit, regardless of the number of scans.
Northern Shared Medical Services also provides mobile services to Memorial Hospital of McPherson.
— Nursing director Linda Kannady reported that bottled water will be installed in two locations in the hospital for surgical use and in humidifiers.
— Debbie Craig, St. Luke Living Center Director, reported her department is participating in a program with surveyors that will provide additional guidelines for residents to improve their quality of life.
Craig also reported she continues to receive requests for rooms.
— Following a 15-minute executive session to discuss personnel, the meeting reconvened with no decisions.
The next hospital board meeting is at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 in the clinic basement.
