“It’s been a tough first quarter,” North Shore Hospital Controller Yvonne Gennrich reported to the board Friday, April 30, 2010. The hospital took in $195,000 between January and March this year, significantly less than the $518,000 it took in during the same time period a year ago. The first quarter of 2010 brought one-third the number of patient days than the first quarter of 2009. Emergency room (ER) income is at 65% of where it was last year at this time, she said, although three traumas in March 2009 brought the income up for that quarter.
John Strange, president/CEO of St. Luke’s Hospital, which is under contract to provide management services for North Shore Hospital, attributed the decline in patient numbers partly to the absence of flu and pneumonia outbreaks this year. A lot of people at St. Luke’s went home, however, when they should have been admitted, he said.
The decline in patient numbers is hard on employees, said Administrator Diane Pearson, because they are scheduled to work but then sent home when the census is low.
The good news is that while the hospital pharmacy is down $40,000 in income, its expenses were $60,000 less than they were in the first quarter of 2009. In some other years, expenses have been four times as much in a quarter. Gennrich said she hopes their computer system is resulting in pharmaceuticals being priced more accurately.
An audit of 2009 showed a loss of $290,000 for the hospital and care center.
DeBevec back on staff
Many local residents will be happy to hear that Michael DeBevec has been hired to the emergency room physician staff. DeBevec, who used to be on staff at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, has lived in Cook County for decades but has been working outside the county for a number of years. Diane Pearson said that about six doctors have been staffingthe ER quite regularly.
Continuum of care
Pearson reported that Wipfli, the company that completed a market study on the feasibility of providing a continuum of care from assisted living to nursing home care, would create a financial analysis of several models for the hospital at a cost of about $15,000.
John Strange recommended that the hospital pursue its senior housing and senior care options. “We need to do something with the losses coming out of the nursing home,” he said.
The board passed a motion to hire Wipfli to conduct a financial analysis of various senior care options.
HealthShare employee option
The board voted to become a participating provider in a Duluth-based healthcost sharing program called HealthShare. The program is designed for uninsured employees working in small businesses. It covers most health services, including doctor visits and hospital care, and focuses on prevention and health education.
The company’s website, www.healthsharemn. com, lists a monthly cost to employers of $60 and an employee cost of $53-67.
Theprogram, technically not an insurance company, is an initiative of the state legislature.
Administrator search
St. Luke’s Hospital executives will be interviewing a second candidate for the hospital administrator position to be vacated by Diane Pearson. Board member Howard Abrahamson said a lot of applications have been received.
St. Luke’s has someone who could fill in for Pearson if her replacement is not hired by the time she leaves. If one of the two candidates being considered so far is hired, the board estimated that July would be the earliest he or she could start.
In other news:
& Recent lab, care center, and fire
marshal inspections went well,
Pearson reported.
& Carolyn Hanford was hired as
director of the radiology department.
She moved up from another
position in the department.
& The hospital board’s next meeting
will be Friday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m.
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