Hospital assets climb $5.4 million

The total assets for Community Hospital of McCook increased from $14.8 million to $20.3 million between 2003 and 2007.

"This is even more positive news when you consider," said hospital president and CEO Jim Ulrich, following a hospital board of directors' meeting Wednesday, "all that growth  was  in the area of equity."

That means, Ulrich said, that the hospital  has less long term debt than five years ago. "That makes for a very strong organization," he said.

Ulrich said that an audit of the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2007, indicates that the hospital ended with a good operating margin of 9.21 percent. 

Ulrich said that these successes can be attributed to four  main  factors:

* An increase in the number of  inpatients and outpatients treated ;

* Continued efforts to operate very efficiently to help hold down expenses; 

* The hospital's status as a critical access hospital and its boost from the federal  and state government through its Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement program; and

* A continuing spirit of teamwork   and dedication exhibited by hospital personnel and medical staff.

Ulrich said that the hospital's goal is to continue its successful operating margin and to use reserves for the majority of facility improvements outlined for the next three to 10 years. 

"Our overall goal is to be able to provide quality healthcare services and facilities to patients in the region for years to come," Ulrich said. "And 'region' is the key word, as we provide services not only for patients from McCook, but also from the surrounding area."

"It was a very successful financial and clinical year," Ulrich said. The board approved the FY 2007 audited financial statements .

Ulrich said that representatives of the board of directors, department directors, hospital staff and medical staff met recently to discuss the hospital's facility master plan that focuses on improvements and renovations, mainly to patient rooms, surgery and clinic areas  and also other areas throughout the campus.

The  goal is to implement the first phase of the plan within the next three years, Ulrich said, explaining that the hospital's successful operating margin and its ongoing efforts to operate efficiently will be important in its ability to invest reserves and earnings into future facility improvements .

Tom Carpenter, Vice President of Human Resources and Public Relations , told board members that the average years of retention of hospital employees is 8.58 years, including those just hired and some employees with 30-plus years. 

The hospital's true turnover rate of 11.84 percent ranks very favorably in comparison with the comparison group, the American Society of Healthcare HR Admin-istration, Ulrich said. 

The hospital also compares favorably in operating expenses/revenues, which, Ulrich explained, indicates that the hospital is operating efficiently with the staff it has.

Other areas in which the hospital ranks favorably is education/training and employee benefits.

Sharon Conroy, RN,  Community Hospital's Infection Control / Employee Health nurse, told board members that healthcare-associated infections in April, May and June, (infections acquired while in the hospital) is 16/1000 of 1 percent, "a very small percent," Ulrich said.

That compares to the national average of 6 percent, he said.

In an effort to maintain its low percentage, Ulrich said, the hospital continues to mandate flu shots for hospital employees, and continues to monitor that new staff members are current on their immunizations, among many other efforts .

The hospital also revised part of its personal appearance policy to state that shoes worn by employees cannot have holes along the fronts or sides. Shoes must have a strap to secure the heal, the policy now states. This policy supports the hospital's efforts to improve infection control, Ulrich said.

Dari Olson, the hospital's safety director, reported that the hospital has revised its lockdown procedures in response to two lockdown situations in the past year. Ulrich said that during a lockdown situation, all doors are secured and hospital personnel man emergency room doors. The revised policy includes new facility entrances added through recent renovations and expansions.

Olson's report to the board indicates that the hospital successfully completed a four-hour test of its generator capacities, required in wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster and local ice storms.

Olson said that on Aug. 29, Community Hospital hosted a decontamination exercise that included 53 participants from Atwood, Kearney, Benkelman, Ogallala, Imperial and McCook.

Terri Shipshock, executive director of Community Hospital Health Foundation, reported that the Foundation is promoting the availability of scholarships for people interested in studying healthcare. Seven students are currently on scholarship through the Foundation, Ulrich said.

"An Evening for Hospice" will be Nov. 11 and will feature Karen Taylor-Good of Nashville, Tenn., an entertainer with a passion for Hospice, Ulrich said.