Bradley County Medical Center board of directors held several annual meetings on Tuesday as it finalized its work for the year.
A new budget for the fiscal year Oct. 1, 2022-Sept. 30, 2023 was approved, with $25.5 million in operating expenditures and $1.86 million in capital expenditures. CEO Leslie Huitt explained that while countywide sales tax money is used for most capital expenditures of equipment, some funds may also come from the operating budget. Any capital purchases will require further board approval.
Annual meetings were held to approve minutes, officers and bylaws for Bradley Medical Foundation, Bradley Medical Services and Bradley Medical System. Each will retain Freddie Mobley as chairman, Joe Don Greenwood as vice chairman and treasurer, and Lathan Hairston as secretary.
In other action:
- Controller Matt Pace said the hospital had a $275,000 loss in October. Volumes were down slightly. There was $3.9 million in gross revenue, $1.6 million in net revenue, $600,000 increase in accounts receivable from the preceding month and $132,000 in sales tax funds received in September and $115,000 in sales tax funds received in October.
- Huitt said a cost report estimate was completed in September. BCMC had a $519,000 loss for the fiscal year. She said Dr. JoFrances Marquez had begun doing surgeries at the hospital in the past month, with four procedures done in the first week.
Compliance and Privacy Officer Leanna Williams and Huitt attended a seminar in Nashville, Tenn., on Medicare reimbursement and cost reporting. Arkansas Rural Health Partnership paid for an assessment to explore what the benefits would be to BCMC joining an ACO with Medicare and Blue Cross-Blue Shield. Financial statement audits will be conducted between Dec. 12-19.
- Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Wolfe said COVID-19 cases have been increasing. Flu cases have been “very active,” he said. Positive cases treated in October included 38 flu, eight RSV and five COVID. Those diseases affect length of stay for patients, staffing and transferring patients out. He also said the emergency room has been extremely busy.
- Vice President of Support Services Marilyn Johnson said Bradley Medical Foundation is planning a spring fundraising dinner. Proceeds will be used to purchase laptops and charge carts for the hospital.
Johnson said the Hospital Auxiliary is continuing its shop in the hospital and the auxiliary store in the Brunson Medical Complex. It has purchased some Senior Care equipment.
KidsFirst has received a vent hood for fire suppression in its kitchen. The hospital Dietary Department and Maintenance Department continue to provide meals for the facility until kitchen work is completed.
- Johnson and Williams explained several policy revisions and annual approvals that were needed. Hairston provided board input on changes he recommended for the items. The board gave approval to all items.
The policy approvals included the following: nuclear or chemical accident, travel/expense reimbursement policy, mass casualty plan, collections policy, financial assistance policy, BCMC employee discounts on BCMC medical bills, BCMC Sunshine Committee policy, facility electronic medical records outage plan.
The annual approvals included the following: conflict of interest policy, code of conduct plan, compliance plan, auxiliary policy, BCMC board bylaws, Bradley County medical staff bylaws, medical staff required committees, medical staff officers, Home Health bylaws, quality improvement plan, financial assistance policy, exposure plan, HIPAA, emergency preparedness manual, fire and safety policy/procedure manual.
- A motion was approved to add Pace to the hospital safe deposit box.
- Following an executive session, medical staff recommendations were approved. The Maintenance Department was approved to either refurbish or replace a HVAC unit on the hospital roof based on what workers feel is the best system and most economic. Staff retention bonuses and changes to a lease agreement were also approved.