By Roy McQueen

SDN Publisher

A slightly improved cash position for Cogdell Memorial Hospital was reported to hospital board members in a meeting this morning.

Richard Murphy, interim chief financial officer described the financial picture as “tight, but manageable.”

For the month of February, the hospital showed a net loss of $66,885 with $183,141 in bad debts for the month.

Murphy noted that total accounts receivable are $7 million with only about $2 million of that amount likely to be collected. “There are too many old accounts.

Murphy said the business office would begin implementing polices for collection and recommendations for turning over past-due accounts for collection.

“It’s time to run a hospital like a business,” Murphy noted. “We have to be firm, but tactful.”

Murphy also asked the board to review procedures concerning accounts payable, noting that the past policy of cutting off payables early in the month had resulted in substantial late charges to the hospital.

Murphy said auditors had been at the hospital early in March and no matters of material issues were noted.

At last month’s meeting, it was reported of a need to complete medical charts more quickly in order to reduce the time that bills go out.

Murphy said the issue was addressed with the medical staff, and he commended the physicians for their positive response. “Progress is being made.”

During the administrative report, Cheryl Chance, director of nursing and acting hospital administrator, said an offer had been made to a physician’s assistant from Morton to practice in the hospital’s rural health clinic. An offer was made to an individual in Fritch last month, but it was declined.

Jo Beth Hardegree presented the quality improvement report for 2003 and the quality improvement plan for the current year. Both were unanimously approved.

Board member Mark Cullifer suggested that a concerted effort be made to increase participation in a patient satisfaction survey. Last year only 11 percent of surveys were returned.

Cullifer suggested that completion of the survey be done as part of the dismissal process. “We need to fix the problem before they leave the hospital.”

No major problems or adverse trends were noted in the 2003 quality improvement report, but board chair Dink Foree observed the need for improved documentation by hospital staff..

Hardegree said that data obtained in the quality improvement process will eventually result in a “report card” for all hospitals.

“There will come a time when a patient can log on and compare hospitals and decide where they want to go.”

Hardegee added that the entire staff at Cogdell works diligently for improvement and patient satisfaction.

There were 30 patient transfers from Cogdell to other medical facilities in February, 14 of them cardiology-related. Chance said there were no unnecessary transfers.

The board convened in executive session at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the possible employment of a chief executive officer.

Foree presided at the two-hour business meeting and board members attending were Cullifer, Bob Robinson, Charles Church, Terry Williams and Wade Warren.