Pinckneyville Hospital sees operating loss in February

Pinckneyville Hospital saw an operating loss of $76,518 and a net loss of $36,067 in February.

The year-to-date figures show an operating income of $375,794 and a net income of $888,689.

Net income or loss includes revenue from sources other than operations.

The board discussed a revenue cycle work plan that has many components.

One new initiative will help PCH cut down on bad debt by collecting more up front from patients who are having elective procedures and who have not met their deductibles for the year.

Other hospitals in the region have already instituted similar programs.

CFO Kara Carson said that one of the first steps will be to train the staff on how explain the new program to patients.

It was stressed that emergency care will have a separate set of rules.

"Treat and triage first," Administrator Tom Hudgins said.

The hospital has approximately $1.2 million in bad debt.

In other business, the board:

• approved the expenditure of $13,985 for plumbing in a pole barn at the new facility site that will be used as temporary office for the contractor. After the new building is constructed, the pole barn will be used as the hospital's maintenance shed. The cost is approximately $2,000 higher than the estimate from four years ago.

The board discussed a 1.7 percent increase in cost on the new facility over the original estimate. That increase has taken a bite from the contingency fund. Costs and other issues will be discussed Wednesday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the hospital during the first meeting between the architect, owner and construction manager. Construction on the new facility began much later than expected due to a government shutdown and inclement weather. The price guarantee from the subcontractors expired before work began. Prevailing wage also increased.

• heard from Dr. Gregg Fozard that the staff at the Family Medical Center are working to become certified to conduct physicals for CDL license holders. He was not sure that all of the staff will have completed the certification before May 1 of this year. There is an online class and test that must be passed before the federal exam can be taken.