Pinckneyville Hospital Ends 2012 in the black

Pinckneyville Community Hospital showed operating income of $125,873 and net income of $154,960 in December 2012, bringing the year-to-date figures to $524,133 for operating income and $755,339 for net income. Net income includes non-operations revenue.

Hospital Administrator Tom Hudgins said that a dividend check for liability insurance helped the bottom line.

"Some of the things we're doing are beginning to pay off," he said.

The board agreed to pay $29,000 to McGladrey for an external charge master audit and market pricing analysis. The audit should begin this month and is expected to be finished before the new fiscal year begins May 1. The audit will determine if prices at PCH are in line with comparable health care providers in the region. The last audit of this type was done five years ago.

Hudgins offered an update on the new hospital. PCH and USDA are working with AgStar on construction financing. USDA has worked closely with AgStar on similar projects and recommended them. Hudgins said AgStar is less expensive than other construction financing options PCH was considering. The hospital is waiting for more information which should be available Feb. 11. If the information is available on time, it will be reviewed immediately. The board will then hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18 to discuss financing the new hospital project.

In other business, the board:

• approved a contract extension for Dr. Bilal through July 31, 2014.

• discussed changes to the financial need policy. Illinois residents will continue to qualify under the Illinois Uninsured Patient Act. Out-of-state residents will have to meet more stringent requirements for financial need.

• discussed a policy update in which the hospital will try to collect all or some of what will be owed the hospital due to the patient's deductible for outpatient services at the same time co-pays are collected. No target date has been set for the new policy.

• heard that the Illinois Department of Public Health found everything satisfactory on their follow-up visit in January. All problems found on their first visit have been corrected.