Controller Matt Pace explained to the Bradley County Medical Center board Thursday that overall hospital visits in February were down 13 percent.
He said cash on hand and investments increased by $237,000, revenues were $3.6 million with an $83,000 net loss, accounts receivable were down 12 percent since October and sales tax collected in February totaled $115,000.
Top photo: Bradley County Medical Center board member Latham Hairston, left, asks questions about accounts receivable during the monthly board meeting Thursday. Pictured, clockwise, are board President Freddie Mobley, board member Gale Brigham and Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Wolfe. Photo by Tim Kessler.
The sales tax report showed payments of $40,341, ultrasound service agreement; $2,229, Polk-Stanley final payment; $5,998, Triple S; and $517,720, roof repairs. That left a balance in the sales tax fund of $3,614,741.
In other action:
- CEO Leslie Huitt said auditors would present their findings at the April meeting.
She said she had examined food purchases in the cafeteria through a contract with Cura. Food Buy did an analysis and found if the hospital bought its own food, it could save up to 18 percent. On June 1, the Cura contract will be modified to allow the hospital to do so.
She indicated that credentialing problems with United Healthcare had been resolved.
On April 1, Medicaid patients will start losing eligibility, with about 350,000-400,000 patients statewide affected. BCMC Rural Health Clinic has sent flyers to patients to urge them to reapply for benefits.
Huitt said KidsFirst is expected to be back in its building in the next few weeks. The program has been using space at Immanuel Baptist Church due to flooding problems at its building. The hospital, which operates the program, will receive a $288,000 insurance settlement soon.
She said questions have arisen about the capacity of the hospital’s MRI unit. She said it had the same capacity as machines at Drew Memorial Hospital and Ashley County Medical Center.
- Nabholz placed a bid of $60,381 for plumbing repairs at the Brunson Medical Complex. The board approved using sales tax funds to pay for the repairs.
- Compliance Officer Leanna Williams showed a 3-minute marketing video produced in cooperation with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. It was narrated by Huitt and Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Wolfe and demonstrated the various hospital departments and the Rural Health Clinic.
“We are here to serve our community,” Williams said.
- The annual health insurance premium for hospital staff increased 8 percent to $118,000. The bid was approved.
- A $43,810 server upgrade was approved for the Omni machine that dispenses hospital pharmacy medications. Sales tax funds will be used if needed unless employee retention funds are received.
- A conversion to a Meditech bidirectional interface was approved for $40,060, under the same condition as above.
- Wolfe said transitional care brochures were produced and training was provided to nurses. The program’s goal is to increase use of swing beds.
He said a USDA grant was used to buy surgical equipment and two anesthesia machines, totaling $108,000.
Wolfe said COVID-19 patients were “dramatically down” to four patients in February. There were 12 flu patients, which was also a decrease.
He said the hospital decreased to four agency nurses in the OB unit. Three new nurses are currently in a 90-day training cycle.
- A policy approval was given regarding C-section surgery anesthesia.