Texas County Memorial Hospital closed out the first month of the new fiscal year in the black, hospital board members heard during their monthly meeting Tuesday. Despite overall revenues falling short of budgeted expectations, inpatient volumes were higher than anticipated and the county hospital was able to produce a positive bottom line for January as a result.
Linda Pamperien, TCMH chief financial officer, presented the financial report. “Overall revenues were down $634,478 in January from our budgeted expectations,” Pamperien said. “Inpatient volumes were up $169,683 and outpatient revenue was down $769,189 for the month.”
There were 109 admissions in January, two more for the month than the hospital received one year ago.
The greatest loss occurred in the emergency department where the number of patients treated was lower than anticipated. The emergency department’s decreased volumes contributed to the decline in other outpatient department’s revenue for the month.
Pamperien mentioned that even though revenues were off from budgeted expectations, expenses and contractual adjustments were lower than anticipated, contributing to the positive financials for the month.
TCMH closed out January with total gross operating revenue of $6,365,198.56 with net revenues after reductions and contractuals being $2,926,532.04.
TCMH ended the month and year-to-date with a positive bottom line of $57,140.
BOARD HEARS QUALITY UPDATE
Amanda Turpin, quality director, presented a quality update to the board members.
“I am proud to say that almost all of our departments reached their 2019 QAPI (Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement) goals that they set for their departments last year,” Turpin said. “The state survey last fall did point out a few areas that need a greater focus and many of our departments have incorporated those items into their 2020 goals.”
Turpin highlighted the emergency department in her presentation, mentioning the intentional efforts that have taken place to include key stakeholders in discussions and decision-making to help drive quality and higher patient satisfaction.
“One example is monitoring our turnaround times in the emergency department,” Turpin explained. “We want our patients to receive the quality care that they need, but we don’t want them to have to wait any longer than necessary.”
Turpin mentioned that all of the department leaders across TCMH are engaged and staff are onboard to continue making their 2020 goals a constant priority.
MEDICARE SPENDNG HIGHLIGHTED
As part of her quality update to the board, Turpin presented the non-risk adjusted MSPB (Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary) report recently released from the Missouri Hospital Association.
“The numbers reflect the average dollar amount spent per episode of care,” Turpin explained.
“Despite our best efforts in managing our expenses, CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) always adjusts our MSPB dollar amount up because they compare us to other area hospitals,” Turpin said. “This report is a true dollar for dollar look at the way we compare to all hospitals at both the state and national level.”
“For every Medicare patient that we treat in the hospital setting, the average spending per episode of care is $13,609,” Turpin said. “Our numbers are much better than both the state and national level of $21,320 and $21,648.”
Turpin mentioned that the yearly MSPB measure scores play an active role in helping the hospital’s quarterly VBP (Value Based Purchasing) scores.
“We receive money back for obtaining good VPB scores,” Turpin said. “All of our departments play an important role in helping us perform well.”
“The quality for the dollars spent here is great,” Wes Murray, TCMH CEO said. “I am so proud of our providers and staff for helping us achieve these fantastic numbers.”
REPORT ON GRANTS
Murray shared an overview of the three-year, $357,000 Missouri Foundation for Health grant that was instrumental in building the cardiac pulmonary rehabilitation services at TCMH.
The grant covered staff’s wages, all of the necessary equipment and provided additional support services for patients that included individual patient counseling, behavioral health assessments and transportation through the existing Medivan program.
“Although the grant officially ended on Jan. 31, we exceeded our participation goals and we still have patients using the services,” Murray explained. “At this time, we have no plans to discontinue the program.”
Murray mentioned that Jay Gentry, healthcare foundation director, has played aan important role in helping the hospital obtain grant funding for projects that TCMH would not have been able to afford otherwise.
“We are applying for a telehealth grant through the USDA now that would allow us to replace all of the monitors on our ambulances if it is approved,” Murray said.
Murray explained that the new monitors would provide vital patient health data in “real-time” to the emergency department staff prior to patients arriving at the hospital, saving precious time when every minute counts.
The total projected cost for the new monitors is $173,000, and TCMH would be responsible for 15 percent of it.
PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT
Physician recruiting efforts have stayed a high priority over the past several months and this year has proven no different.
Physicians and administrative leaders recently welcomed another family medicine physician into the community for a formal site visit.
“We are always looking for talented physicians to add to our medical staff that will help us serve the patients in our communities,” Murray explained. “When we are fortunate enough to find one that has established roots in the Ozarks, that is an even better find.”
Present at the meeting were Murray, Pamperien, Turpin, Doretta Todd-Willis, chief nursing officer; Rachel Davis, public relations; Linda Milholen, MD; board members Jim Perry, DO, Omanez Fockler, Janet Wiseman, Allan Branstetter and Jay Loveland.
The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is noon Tuesday, March 26, in the hospital boardroom.