Assisted living delays ding hospital district's finances

DAYTON– All but one inspection has been completed and a remediation is being made to fulfill the requirements of another before the Rivers Walk Assisted Living can be licensed to operate as was reported during the December 21 Board meeting for Columbia County Health System.

Columbia County Health System Commissioners also heard discussion to transition Booker Hall 2 rooms to house childcare; were updated on Booker Hall 1 plans; and the continued struggles finding beds available to transfer patients to other facilities.

The delay in getting licensed to operate has contributed $137,000 to the November financial loss of $416k. In the meantime, plans are underway to transition the Booker Hall 2 rooms to hold the childcare.

CEO Shane McGuire provided updates about for the assisted living and childcare projects, as well as the plans for Hall 1. Chief of Staff, Lewis Neace reported continued struggles in finding beds available to transfer patients to other facilities.

According to the Washington State Hospital Association, CCHS is one of many healthcare facilities in the State and around the nation reporting deficits. All but three months of 2022, the hospital district has had shortfalls. December's financials are still pending. The total losses reported as of November is $1.8 million. This is offset by reported net income for April, May, and August totaling $490,000, but leaves a $1.3 million loss remaining. Of this, starting in August, $500,000 is attributed to the delay in opening the assisted living facility. Since that time the shortfalls have increased substantially despite the Medicare repayments for COVID being completed around then.

McGuire said that work continues to improve the coding department to decrease claim denials by coding properly, which brings in revenue. Collections continue to grow each month. November departmental statistics remain strong with most exceeding the numbers in October. However, gross patient revenues were down $478,000.

McGuire said due to technical errors, the numbers reported for therapy services were understated, but should be reflected in December's financials. In October revenues for those departments totaled approximately $625,000, and only $116,000 was captured for November. Operating expenses were $17,000 higher than budgeted. The days cash on hand dropped from 32 in October to 24 in November.

Rivers Walk Assisted Living should be able to proceed with licensing to open after the final inspection from Residential Care Services. The facility did not pass L&I inspections for one of the boilers so that is being remedied. Furniture for the units has been delivered. They are working with the Department of Social and Health Services to be permitted to provide care for higher-needs patients at the new facility when it opens.

Once patients are transferred to Rivers Walk, CCHS will use Booker Hall 2 to offer childcare. The timeline established schedules construction to begin on March 1 with an anticipated opening for Labor Day. Based on the administrator's report, they are in negotiations with the YWCA as the anticipated operator.

There are also plans to move outpatient wound care and respiratory therapy to Hall 1 along with maintaining seven beds for acute care swing beds. This together with the beds on the acute care swing bed hallway and the changes to room 110, the 25-bed requirement will be maintained.

Chief of Staff, Dr. Lewis Neace spoke about the ongoing difficulty in finding beds to transfer patients to other facilities. The cases of RSV and influenza have brought in more admits about which he expressed frustration that more have not gotten the flu shot.