Hospital board makes financial decisions

In action at their meeting Tuesday evening, the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees accepted the hospital’s Form 990 for 2017, the tax return for the hospital. Chief Financial Officer Shelly Larson said this form is for tax exempt organizations and tells what benefits the hospital provides in order to maintain that tax exempt status.

Larson noted the hospital provides free care to those who are at 100 percent or less of the federal poverty level, and partial discounts are provided at 100 to 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

According to the report, the hospital has provided $1,442,766 benefit to the community thorough education, the Lab Well program, financial assistance at cost and subsidized health programs.

Another piece that has to be provided is information on bad debt and the community health needs assessment. Larson said the hospital does not currently claim any bad debt as a community benefit, but there are some things that would qualify for financial assistance. The last community health needs assessment was done in 2016 and an implementation plan was developed for 2017.

Action on the patient loan program was tabled due to continuing legal review.

The board credit card provider was switched from Pinnacle Bank to Citi National Bank. Larson said the card through Pinnacle does not provide any incentives back to the board, where the Citi card has up to a one percent incentive that can be put toward expenses. The interest rate on the new card is 15.96 percent, compared to the 11 percent on the Pinnacle card, though Larson said this is a moot point as they pay the card off every month.

Also during the meeting, the board had lengthy discussion regarding which logo they want to use for their rebranding as part of the expansion and renovation project, and whether they would be known as Hot Springs Health or Hot Springs Healthcare.

Several logos were presented — some created by staff, others by outside firms — and Melissa Johnson suggested the board also look at getting the opinion of the high school art students as they are the current or future patients of the hospital and possibly the future staff. It was later noted at the meeting that the board could still go with what they feel is the best logo.

Monty Wardell, superintendent of Sletten Construction — the firm handling the hospital additions and renovations — reported there has been some dirt work happening since things have dried up a bit and they are getting down to the subgrade to do all of the underground work. He said things are on schedule, and would start to happen quickly with the project, though might not always be visible because they are spread out over 32,000 square feet.

The board plans to tour the project at a future meeting.

Dr. Vernon Miller, in his medical staff report, informed the board that nuclear medicine has been used quite a bit lately and having the new unit in the hospital will make such procedures easier. Nuclear medicine, he noted, is used primarily in observing cardiac and gall bladder function and, to a lesser extent, thyroid function.

Additionally with regard to nuclear medicine, Miller reported the new cordless neoprobe, which is primarily used to detect breast cancer and melanomas, is being used and working well. The old neoprobe is still working, he said, but parts are no longer made for it if it quits.

Miller also reported they are getting the new portable x-ray machine up and running, and the machine does allow for near instantaneous images to be produced. He also announced that he was recently elected president of the American College of Surgeons for Montana and Wyoming, for a three-year term.

Larson reported the days in accounts receivable increased in March to 66.41, primarily due to the hospital having a good month in gross revenue. Larson noted they have revamped the plan for working large balances in accounts receivable.

Days cash on hand increased to 50.55, Larson said, and they did receive money on some miscellaneous accounts receivable to the tune of about $300,000, and grant funds have been received. She noted they would start to see some of the funds go out to pay for items.

Phil Scheel reported on the hospital foundation, noting they have been gaining some new energetic members. The foundation meets quarterly, and at their last meeting a committee was appointed to investigate the possibility of hiring an executive director/grant writer/fundraiser. Discussion, he noted, also included whether such an employee would be contracted or a hospital employee.

Hospital CEO Margie Molitor reported there was 88.8 percent participation in the employee survey and those results are being compiled and should be available in the next couple weeks. Molitor also noted there was a question a couple months back as to whether the hospital sponsors blood drives and she said the hospital auxiliary does, with the next one on May 6 at the senior center.