Variety of issues face RCH board
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Topping the agenda at the regular meeting of Ringgold County Hospital’s board of trustees on Monday, June 26 was the report of good growth being seen in the new pain clinic, staffing issues but hires are being made and a bottom-line loss of $162K for the month of May, reported from CFO, Missy Walter.
Regarding the staff shortages, Amy Mobley stated acute care has hired two new nurses; in rehabilitation services, travel therapists are still being used, but Tessa Shields has been hired as a new full-time occupational therapist beginning in mid July.
From Chief of Staff, Katie Willcox, “It’s back to the drawing board”, in terms of physician recruitment. A recent physician recruitment that had seemed to look promising did not work out, according to Willcox, so a new search will begin.
Looking at the financial picture for June, inpatient revenue was under budget for the month by $85K.
Outpatient revenue did exceed budget by $725K with several departments exceeding budget expectations. These included lab, pharmacy, sleep studies, PT, OT, Senior Life Solutions and most imaging services.
Primary and Specialty Clinics came in ahead of budget by $28K mostly due to general surgery procedures. It was noted by Mobley, Dr. Ed Wehling in surgery is increasing the number of see and do scopes which is increasing efficiency. Also, Melissa Friedrich, CRNA, as well as increasing growth in the pain clinic, is doing several procedures beneficial for surgery.
Operating revenue for the month was over $1.79M, under budget by $400K.
On the expense side, salaries and wages were under budget by $42K; benefits were under budget by $149K due to lower self-insurance claims, contract labor was over budget by $117K; fees were under budget by $107K; supplies and drugs were under budget by $114K and depreciation was over budget by $199K.
Total operating expenses for the month were over $2.19M, under budget by $118K.
In other business:
Marty Dubas, CPA with Eide Bailley, presented the draft for the 2021-22 fiscal year audit for RCH.
The audit has not been completed as the audited financial statements are pending a waiver on a financial statement filing covenant and single audit reports are waiting on continuing compliance with regard to USDA loan funds.
At the conclusion of the regular board meeting the board went into closed session citing 21.5L “to discuss proprietary information”
