Roller coaster ride continues for hospital district's financials
Staff reporter
Marion County Hospital District #1 heard some good news and some bad news June 24, regarding the district's financial condition at the end of May.
The good news was inpatient revenues were up from April by 18 percent but behind the budget for the month by nearly 41 percent. Revenues are behind for this time last year by $175,792 or 24 percent.
Outpatient revenues are ahead of budget for the month by $35,292 and up from the prior month by 7.73 percent or $35,015. The revenues also remain ahead of last year by $657,177 or nearly 20 percent.
Physician clinic revenue is up from last month by $4,317 but behind the budget for the year by $311,608. There was a decrease of five visits in May compared with April.
St. Luke Living Center revenue is ahead of the year-to-date budget because the long-term care unit's census has been at capacity much of the year.
Marion County Home Health has had a significant increase in visits with 571 more than the same time last year. Revenue is up by $1,581 from April and only $76 behind the monthly budget.
Labor costs are up $10,619 from last month. A portion of this increase is because paid time off was paid to an employee who was terminated.
Bad debt expense is down $92,822 from April because of a decrease in private pay accounts receivable.
Physical therapy visits were down by 9 percent or 99 visits from April as were laboratory outpatient procedures which saw a decrease of one percent or 31 billable tests. Radiology scans were up 43 tests from the previous month or 11 percent.
Overall net income from operations was in the red $16,020 for the month. Compared with last year, income from operations is behind by $133,952 or nearly 29 percent.
Net income for the month was $48,699 which makes it above the budgeted estimates of $24,670.
Net income for the year is down from the budgeted amount of $163,763 and behind from last year by $158,476.
In other business:
— Following last month's annual meeting, the board welcomed newly elected director Linda Allison of rural Florence.
Martin Tice was elected board president; Jerry Dieter; vice president; Elora Robinson, secretary; and Greg Bowers, treasurer.
— The board approved updated foundation bylaws with term limitations for St. Luke Foundation board members.
With the changes in the bylaws, additional foundation board members are being sought. Current terms include Gene Winkler, three years; Judy Reno and Janet Herzet, two years, and Robinson and Kevin Fruechting, one year. The term year will begin in October.
— Living center director Debbie Craig reported the long term care facility recently was surveyed or inspected by Kansas Department of Health & Environment. The results were favorable with one citation for a reimbursement issue.
— Administrator Jeremy Armstrong reported that a candidate for the position of chief financial officer will be interviewed and Mary Harrison was hired as the new office coordinator at St. Luke Physician Clinic.
— More than $4,000 profit was raised for the hospital through the Dinky Ducks fund-raiser at Chingawassa Days.
— Armstrong said he visited a newly constructed physical therapy department at Lyons. That hospital is building a new hospital in five phases for a total of $9 million. Phase one is physical therapy which includes aquatic therapy.
— A favorable employee survey was reviewed by the board. Two unfavorable areas were employees who disagreed with the statements "Senior leadership treats all departments or groups of employees equally" and "I almost never have said, 'That's not my job'."
— Credentials for Tyler Hughes, M.D., surgery, and David Larson, M.D., emergency room, were approved.
— Representatives of Kansas Health Association gave a presentation regarding the benefits of membership.
— The board entered a 30-minute executive session to discuss acquisition of real estate with Armstrong, acting CFO Bev Reid, and Craig. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— A 30-minute executive session was called to discuss personnel with Armstrong. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
The next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 22 in Marion Family Physicians Clinic basement.
