CCHS Ends Year on a High Note

DAYTON—Columbia County Health Services CEO Shane McGuire said the district is on pace to finish the year around $21.5 million in gross patient revenue, conservatively, and around $16.5 million in net patient revenue, which represents a 24% increase in year-over-year gross patient revenue. This is also a 30% increase in net patient revenue before expenses.

“We’ve had a lot of growth. We’ve also had some expenses, as well,” McGuire said.

“Expenses have increased by 30% year-over-year and our operating loss increased by 21% over last year, as of November’s numbers. We are currently under our budgeted operational loss by 43%,” he said.

McGuire said the unaudited net income is currently 38% above the December 2016 number, but this is always subject to audit processes that can have a positive or negative $200,000 effect.

Another good sign for the district is the bad debt is “under more control than it has been in years,” and is now a “one sheet deal,” McGuire pointed out.

In his financial statement for the month of November Controller Tom Meyers noted:

Gross Patient Revenue was under budget with shortfalls in both clinics and an adjustment to the revenue for prior months of 340B Income. (For low income patients who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.)

A Cost Saving Share from Caravan Health amounting to over $70,000.

Statistical volumes for services were high in Acute and Acute Swing Patient Days.

Cash collections were good, especially with a $607,000 payment from Medicare for the Interim Cost Report. Tax collections were good after the semi-annual tax due date.

The above impacts combined to provide a booked gain in October of $136,000, after taxes and non-operating revenues are taken into account.

Year-to-date shows a gain of $817,000, unaudited. This held the year-to-date operating income loss to the same ($801,000), Meyers said.

Meyers also reported that the number of Days Cash on Hand increased in November to 25.63 days, up from 20.31 in October, which was largely due to good collections and fewer operating costs.

In his report to the commissioners, CEO McGuire said work on the hyperbaric wound care suite is 98% complete and Program Director Angela Trenti is now on board.

McGuire said the new CT scanner is producing at a five-year high of 47 studies a month and the total for the year should be around 560 studies. Ultrasound is seeing an average of 30 patients each month.

The occupational therapy department added a second staff member and volumes in OT have increased by 111% over 2016, McGuire said.

McGuire said he met with Fire Chief Jeromy Phinney in December to offer the hospital district’s support for Fire Dist. No 3 initiatives in 2018.

“We will be pro-thought and proactive,” McGuire said.

Phase V of the Hospital renovation and enhancement project was completed on Dec, 6 and a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on February 27 from 4-6 pm.