Othello hospital budget increases

OTHELLO —  Othello Community Hospital board members approved a $17 million operating budget, including an increase in cost for patient services in 2010.

Administrator Harry Geller said services will cost an average 8 percent more.

“We have to price to meet high standards of quality care,” Geller said.

Price varies for each patient, depending on services needed.

Geller attributed the increase to state cuts on medicate, insurance for low income families. 

“If any patient wants to know in advance what their cost may be, they can stop by the business office and we will give them a range,” Geller said.

The hospital plans to replace aging equipment, upgrade technology and expand the nursery. They are able to make repairs because of an increase in the capital budget from 2009.

“What happened last year is that we removed $475,950 from last year’s capital budget as the year progressed and the economy turned downward, which brought the budget down a little under $1 million,” Geller explained. “We shifted the removed amount to this years’ capital budget.”

The $2 million capital budget for 2010 enables projects to begin next year.

The biggest portion of the capital budget is $1 million set aside for a computer software system upgrade.

Computer services are provided through Inland Northwest Health Services in Spokane, Geller said.

“We’ve had our current software for about 12 years,” Geller said. “We received an upgrade package this year and needed to take the opportunity.”

The hospital allocated $169,500 to expand the nursery.

In 2008, 627 babies were born, a record for the hospital, Geller said.

“I think we will probably surpass that amount in 2009 because we have a very young community,” Geller said.

In addition, the hospital set aside $125,000 to replace an air conditioning unit in disrepair.

“The budget is merely a plan, there is no definite start date to any project,” Geller said.

Geller said his biggest concern is economic conditions worsening, causing more cuts in medicate.

“There are continual reports from Olympia that the state is running in the red,” Geller said.

He reported avoiding staffing cuts as a priority.

“We’ve been ensuring that won’t happen by reviewing expenditures to ensure we have cash at hand to buy what need and telling our employees not to work overtime,” Geller said.