Staff writer
The end-of-the-year financial status was revealed Tuesday to the board of directors of Hospital District No. 1 of Marion County.
St. Luke Hospital’s net profit for the fiscal was $86,525. The hospital was 58 percent under budget, expecting to bring in $204,345.
A net income of $54,933 was reported for September.
St. Luke Hospital scored high marks on an independent survey of staff. They scored an 89 percent approval rating on patient focus, an 88 percent approval rating on community image, and an 87 percent approval rating for recognition and feedback.
“We’re doing a good job of keeping our employees satisfied,” Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Armstrong said. “If we have satisfied employees, that will help us take care of our patients.”
The board approved the purchase of new equipment proposed by director of nursing Linda Kannady.
A cardiac monitoring system – including two telemetry units, a central monitor, and two hard-wired monitors with installation – will cost $74,273.
Eleven Stryker medical beds, which include a mattress, scale, and patient safety features, will be purchased for $4,100 each.
The board also approved contracts for the year. The only new contract is with Newman Regional Health for pediatric services.
Three new policies were approved. Two policies deal with reimbursing employees for offsite events, both paying for educational events and fuel costs. The third policy dictates that requests to use the hospital basement will be directed to foundation director Mike Norris.
Armstrong reported that St. Luke Hospital’s retirement plan needed to change. When Banner, a nonprofit organization operated the hospital, they offered employees a 401k option. After Banner ended management services with the hospital, the facility continued to offer a 401k. As a government organization, the hospital cannot offer a 401k.
To fix the problem, Armstrong proposed the option of participating in an IRS program, which will cost $5,000. The board approved the request.