Health System meeting financial markers

DAYTON-The Columbia County Health System (CCHS) heard reports on the financial report which reflected a loss for May of $71,000; with the opening of Cottage D in April, and Rivers Walk Assisted Living is closing in on meeting the anticipated revenues. In addition, COVID cases cause short-term personnel availability.

The financial report reflected a loss for May of $71,000 in part due to an increase in paid salaries, benefits, and professional fees. Expensive contract labor expenses have gone down. The gross revenue was nearly on target. CEO Shane McGuire added that there has been about 20% decrease in the accounts payable. Gross revenues for May were very close to on budget.

Cottage D of Rivers Walk Assisted Living is now operating and has only a few spaces left to fill. The assisted living met the budgeted revenue for May and is close to meeting it for the year-to-date anticipated revenue. McGuire offered a comparison of the assisted living to Booker. "Booker operated with an average monthly bed days of 599 in 2022 and had a five-year high number of 775 monthly bed days in 2021. Rivers Walk has increased the number of resident bed days by 35%. When full, which appears inevitable, we will have increased access to long-term care services in the community by 64%."

McGuire told the Board in his report that they were invited to present in support of Greater Health Now to a group of various stakeholders in the medical industry on their work for the Primary Care Transformation Initiative. The approach to health care is through treating the whole person beyond primary care to behavioral health, dental care, chronic care management, collaborative care, palliative care while working with community health workers and other partners, hospital-based services, and long-term care providers.

Some cases of COVID have recently hit CCHS. The result is more overtime over the last three months as healthy staff cover those out sick. According to Gretchen Eslick RN, DNS, they are working to mitigate staff burnout. The overtime pay adds to expenses for salaries.