NRMC financials improve

Having weathered a budget deficit throughout this fiscal year, directors of Nevada Regional Medical Center heard Tuesday night that the hospital had turned a $64,949 profit in March.

Chief Financial Officer Cindy Buck said patient revenues of $6,597,453 were 5.9 percent less than budgeted for the month, but admissions of 214 people were five more than expected and costs were cut by 6.2 percent to help produce the black ink.

For 2009-'10 to date, Buck said, NRMC has experienced a net loss of $1,321,067. "Physicians' salaries, professional fees, utilities, repairs and purchased services are where the greatest savings were achieved," she said.

Chief Executive Officer Judy Feuquay reported the hirings of two new staff members -- Dr. Ana Zully Teran, a psychiatrist from Florence, S.C., and Home Health Director Brigette Brus of Preston, Iowa.

Feuquay showed a recently received award from the statewide Primaris healthcare organization of Columbia "for achieving excellence in eliminating methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections and improving the quality of care.

"Our highest strategic priority of quality improvement is, by fact and perception, totally under way," said Feuquay.

She said progress has been made to recruit a general surgeon, radiologist and emergency room doctor and that two fundraisers, the traditional Caring with Pride Golf Classic and first annual "Highway to Health" motorcycle poker run, will be held May 13 and June 18, respectively.

Feuquay said a hyperbaric chamber -- to increase oxygen in the tissues -- is planned for Behavioral Health Services on the second floor of the South Tower.

In other business, the panel heard a consultant, Quorum Health Resources Regional Vice President Craig Sims of Brentwood, Tenn., say the U.S. Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010 will probably increase the number of Americans with medical insurance by 50 million in 10 years and lower hospitals' bad debt write-offs.

"I'm wondering what will happen when the federal government runs out of money," board member Catherine Hissink said. "With the deficit, you can see it coming."

"Clearly, something has got to change," Sims answered.

Directors Bill Denman and Janice Burch were absent.

Chaired by Glenn Rogers, the board approved a contract to buy $152,551 in blood from Community Blood Center and an agreement with Dr. Warren Lovinger for about 800 electrocardiograms to be read for $11 each.

Reporting a relatively high turnover rate among new employees, Workforce Excellence Committee Chairman Steve Russ said that new hires will be given "a welcome kit" in an effort to alleviate that problem.

Performance Improvement Administrator Holly Bush reported that veteran nurse Sharon Johnson has achieved encouraging results since being hired to help improve medical staff documentation and obtain a better percentage of federal reimbursements.