The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors met April 16 for the regular monthly meeting. Attending were Karen Brown, Zach Moser, Mike Swyers, Frank Barnitz, and Dr. Leigh Ann Price. Wanda Tatom was absent.
The election of officers was discussed and held near the end of the meeting.
Elected were Mike Swyers, chairman; vice-chairperson, Dr. Price; and secretary Brown.
In addition, the finance committee was reconfigured. Currently, Dr. Price, Moser, and Tatom were on the committee. After discussion, Barnitz, Price, and Brown will serve on the committee, with Moser as an alternate in the event someone is unavailable.
Jason Edwards gave the administrator’s report detailing:
• town hall meetings were held in March, and well-attended by staff and doctors at the hospital.
• budget meetings were held with department directors, some of which are new to the process. The focus will be on expenses and being conscientious of the budget as a whole.
• CDM update: there was a meeting and discussion of possible updates to streamline the process of the charge master.
• Bryant McNally, Missouri Hospitals Association, met with administrators to discuss help on a legislative level.
The finance committee met and will wait on charge master updates, according to Moser.
“Unless things change, they are not looking good for us,” he stated.
Doug Hoban presented the summary of operations:
• inpatient admissions for medical/surgical were down for March, 79; compared to 118 in March 2023, and the budgeted 97.
• Across the board most numbers were down for inpatient admissions and census days, compared to March 2023, including swingbed, observation, and medical/surgical.
• Outpatient registrations were down, 1,400 compared to 1,495 budgeted.
• Laboratory tests are starting to pick back up, with 6,731 for the month of March.
• Radiology procedures continue to remain steady, around 1,300.
• Emergency room visits totaled 639, with 30 transferred, 57 admitted, and 28 leaving without being seen, against medical advice, or expiring.
Hoban also gave snapshots of the operating statements and expenses for the month of March.
Total patient revenue was down, totaling $5,222,888. The net operating revenue was reported as $2,229,642, down from the budgeted and prior year amount.
Expenses relating to contracted services are still coming in from agreements signed by the previous management, including a bill for $40,000 and $55,000. Hoban is working with several of those regarding the contractual time, etc.
Year-to-date the current loss reported for the hospital is $1,313,865; $239,214 for the month of March. Total assets are reported as $12,579,012, a loss of $3.6 million since March 2023.
SMH Family Clinic showed a vast jump in revenue from the budgeted amount. Revenue was $303,657.40, with $258,565.79 and $111,171.11 in expenses, thus a loss of $66,079.50 for nine months (ending March 2024).
The beginning cash balance was $358,270 and a decrease in cash by the end of March of $121,258 – ending with a balance of $237,012.
State-matched funds were received of $428k with an expected $288k to follow soon.
“With the influx of matching funds received, the days cash on hand went from 20 (reported year-to-date) to just shy of 29,” stated Edwards and Hoban.
Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Owen reported on open positions, skills lab scheduling, and a webinar series update to be completed.
Barnitz asked how nurses are being sought for the hospital. Owen explained that she, and others, have attended career fairs, made contacts at area nursing programs, and all are listed on Indeed.
Wages and sign-on bonuses were discussed. Owen reported she was under the impression SMH is lower than Phelps Health, but in line with TCMH, Houston.
During the human resources report, it was shared that two technicians have been hired in the laboratory so the travel lab techs will be leaving in May. A phlebotomist position is open currently.
There were three new hires, and six leaving employment in the month of March.
