RCH trustees get ipads for board work
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New ipads for board members, a good revenue for the short month and various miscellaneous items highlighted the regular monthly meeting of the Ringgold County Hospital board of trustees, held Monday, December 11.
Starting off the meeting, board members were given new ipads. The ipads will be used to share information between board members and CEO, Nicky Gilbertson and to access and reference monthly information and reports. The board also received individual emails through outlook to be used for hospital/board related communication. With the introduction of the ipads, Sylvia Schilling, assigned implementation specialist, was on hand via zoom to explain the software installed on the new ipads. This software, the Board Effect program, is a secure online software. It allows communication efficiently and safely, allows sharing and collaboration and policy making.Schilling explained the system’s capabilities include an accessible and editable calendar, a library tab with reference materials such as by laws and other pertinent documents and a board of directors’ tab with past meeting materials, as well as many other features.
Missy Walter, CFO, gave the financial report for the short month due to the early board meeting date for December. Due to the quick turnaround the month of November report did include a lot of assumptions and accruals for revenue, but revenue wise she concluded, “it was a good month.”
Contractuals were high; administrative adjustments, charity care and bad debt were also all over budget with net patient revenue finishing off at $1.8M, below budget by $242K. Walter noted the 340B program continues to pick up and show good revenue. For the month of November 340B netted $52K, significantly over the budgeted amount. Total operating revenue reported was $1,985,068.
On the expense side, salaries, wages and benefits were under budget by $24K, contract labor came in over budget by $30K at $189K, due to acute care, Senior Life Solutions and clinic contracted staff. Fees were under budget by $91K and supplies and drugs again came in under budget mostly due to wound care, pharmacy drugs and oncology drugs. Total operating expenses totaled over $2.1M, $141K under budget. Looking at the bottom line for November, the month ended with a loss of $19,669. Year to date bottom line shows a loss of $138,267 which is slightly below budget.
The board revisited the topic of co pay concerns, discussing possible solutions for self-pay patients, patients without a set co-pay and patients unable to meet the co pay at the time of a clinic visit.
Beginning January 1, patients with a set co-pay amount will be expected to make their co-pay at the time of clinic visits. Those without a set co-pay and those who are self pay patients will be expected to pay an amount to be determined.
There was also discussion at looking at resources that could be provided or found for those in need of money to pay for medical care and finding ways to direct patients to those resources.
Also discussed the possibility of a community organized foundation or group that might be interested in funding a charitable organization to help with those in need of funds when medical care is needed and not affordable for patients who do not have insurance, do not have insurance that pays wells or are simply in a hardship financial situation.
In other business:
Katie Willcox, chief of staff, announced the medical clinic has received new patient education boards installed in clinic visit rooms which will allow many features helpful to clinic physicians and staff.
Nicky Gilbertson, CEO, later added the customizable education boards are part of a Trinity program being piloted. Patients are able to use the boards, as well.
Tiffany Bolles reporting for Amy Mobley, Director of Nursing, stated RCH will no longer be partnering with lifeline and offering lifeline device services through the hospital. LifeLine itself will be taking over and those with subscriptions who choose to continue will be allowed to continue with uninterrupted services with the transfer to LifeLife servicing the devices.
Nicky Gilbertson gave an update stating she and IT are working together on grants to upgrade the current security system. She also announced Rhett Murphy, Director of Operations was able to launch the RCH Foundation and is excited to see what can be done for our community and the RCH organization through the new foundation.
