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Hospital financial status improving but still in the red

Staff reporter

St. Luke Hospital continues to operate in the red.

Chief financial officer Hilary Dolbee told the board of trustees of Marion County Hospital District #1 at the May 22 meeting that the district was $19,326 in the red for the month of April. She quickly added that at this same time last year, the hospital was $43,263 in the red.

Overall, cash is up and revenue is down because inpatient census and outpatient procedures had decreased.

Even though home health care and living center census are down, they were 17 percent higher than at the same time in 2006.

Expenses also were down six percent from March but up 15 percent from the previous year.

In other business:

— Remodeling work will need to be completed at the auxiliary building, currently occupied by Prairie View. Chief executive officer Jeremy Armstrong told the board that in order to set up the building for three providers, six walls would need to be moved and/or built. Additional plumbing also will be necessary.

He said he was expecting the final proposal for the improvements by the end of the week.

— Software for the new hospital clinic will be installed in early August so there will be a month's worth of data to input. The system should be functional by mid-August.

— St. Luke Foundation officially has non-profit status. Previously it had a temporary 501(c)3 status but Armstrong reported it now has been made permanent.

— Dean Herzog of QHR, the hospital's management consultant, reported patients want to know prices and quality of services before having procedures. Much of the information is available through the Internet.

He also reported that more insurance companies are increasing individual deductibles to $5,000 per year. Currently there are 4.5 million people with the higher deductible.

— The board approved medical staff bylaws and strategic initiatives.

— An executive session was conducted for 30 minutes for employer-employee negotiations with Armstrong, Dolbee, and Herzog in attendance.

The next hospital district meeting is at 7 p.m. June 26 in the clinic basement.

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