Houston, MO—Texas County Memorial Hospital emergency room numbers are above our budgeted expectations hospital board members and administration heard at their monthly meeting on Tuesday. Due to Covid, these numbers have not been this way for over a year.
Linda Pamperien, chief financial officer at TCMH, presented the financial report for the month of April.
“Overall revenues were up by $158,384 for the month, which is a 2.5 percent increase from our budgeted expectations,” Pamperien said. “We had a 12.6 percent decline in our inpatient volumes as we were down by $175,828.”
Pamperien mentioned outpatient revenue was up $322,359 for the month, which is the second consecutive month. There were substantial increases in CT, ambulance, ultrasound, and emergency room for April.
“Our overall expenses were down again this month,” Pamperien said. “We were under budget by $387,045, so we continue to manage our expenses well.”
Bad debt for the month of April was $413,374.52.
Pamperien noted that the contractual adjustments were higher this month at 68.9 percent for the month and 63.4 percent year to date.
“Our collections were up in April, so this boosted our contractuals.” Pamperien stated.
“The hospital ended the month of April with a negative bottom line of $224,663 and year-to-date with a negative bottom line of $464,203.” Pamperien said. “The increase in our contractual adjustments affected these results.”
“Our other revenues are down from our budgeted expectations this month by $388,231.” Pamperien mentioned. “This year is unusual with several one time only items budgeted in this category.”
Ms. Pamperien noted that our current ER defibrillator was 9 years old and needed repair. It was approved to trade in the old unit and purchase a new ZOLL defibrillator.
In old business, Chris Strickland, TCMH chief executive officer, reported the roofing repair project is underway and ahead of schedule for completion.
In new business, Ms. Courtney Owens, quality management director, mentioned that CMS (Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services) has teamed up with HQIN (health quality innovation network) to help improve hospital processes.
“Our focus will be on decreasing readmission rates,” stated Ms. Owens. “They have already provided a lot of good resources such as action plans on how to make this happen.”
Ms. Amanda Turpin, director of nursing, stated that Ms. Shelby Ellison, case manager, has done a really good job with the improvement processes. Ms. Ellison has already reimplemented our discharge and post discharge follow up calls.
Ms. Turpin mentioned the Obstetrics department nursing staff is implementing a quality committee within their department to review each policy, increase education, and make new hires comfortable in their roles.
Ms. Helania Wulff, public relations and physician recruiting director, mentioned that we are still actively seeking two family medicine with obstetrics physicians.
“We are still waiting to hear back from the internal medicine candidate,” Ms. Wulff said. “We should know in a couple of weeks if the contract is accepted.”
Mr. Strickland mentioned that we will be upgrading our current MRI to an Orion MRI once our roofing project is completed.
“During the MRI upgrade later this fall, we will have minor construction inside,” Ms. Pamperien noted. “We will also have an onsite mobile unit for a couple of weeks.”
Mr. Strickland mentioned that Houston House nursing home requested for TCMH to provide a physician for each of their nursing homes. Dr. Jonathan Beers, DO, will be the physician for Houston House, Dr. Douglas Crase, MD, will be the physician for Licking Park Manor, and Dr. Jessica King, MD, CMD, will be the physician for Autumn Oaks in Mountain Grove.
“We are happy to partner with them and offer this service,” Mr. Strickland explained. “The three physicians will provide coverage for each other.”
Mr. Strickland discussed the Covid call with the MHA (Missouri Hospital Association) and the governor. Cases are currently holding steady throughout the State of Missouri.
“Post Covid plans are currently in progress,” Mr. Strickland noted. “We are reviewing opening our Hutcheson Pharmacy lobby back up to the public, bringing back our auxiliary and opening our gift shop, reinstating the Youth Ambassador program, and hopefully bringing back our volunteers.”
“Texas County currently only has an 18.2 percent inoculation rate,” Mr. Strickland said. “We have engaged our Covid Committee to have hard stops in place in case we have a surge this Fall.”
Mr. Strickland mentioned the USDA Rural Development grant that we were approved for. These funds will be used for new Stryker defibrillators and monitors for the ambulances.
“The cost of the new equipment is $193,000, and the USDA grant kicked in $168,000,” Mr. Strickland noted. “We have placed the equipment order and they should be installed in a couple of months.”
Mr. Strickland discussed the SHIP (Small Hospital Improvement Program) grant and that we were approved for $240,000.
“These funds will be used towards the East Wing completion.” Mr. Strickland noted.
Mr. Strickland reported we were approved for the USAC (Universal Service Administrative Company) funding. TCMH will receive $8,372 to cover fiber costs for the next two and half years.
Mr. Strickland mentioned the upcoming Foundation golf tournament on Saturday, June 12th at Houston Municipal Golf Course.
Present at the meeting were Wes Murray; Linda Pamperien; Amanda Turpin; Helania Wulff; Courtney Owens; Chris Strickland, chief executive officer; Jonathan Beers, DO, chief of staff; Renina Pearce, administrative secretary; board members, Jim Perry; Allan Branstetter; Joleen Durham; Jay Loveland; Steve Pierce.
The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is Tuesday, June 22 at 12 p.m. in the Jayson Gentry Community Safe Room. Due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions, you may attend the meeting via teleconference. To attend the meeting via teleconference, please call (417)967-1236 and you will be placed into the teleconference meeting.
