Samaritan turns small profit in October

Hospital has earned more than $6 million through October

MOSES LAKE — Even though October didn’t meet the budget targets, Samaritan Healthcare finished the month in the black and has turned a net profit for the year through October of more than $6 million.

Chief administrative officer Alex Town said the hospital did turn a profit in October, with net revenue for the month at $80,765. For 2019 through the end of October, the hospital district’s net income is $6,310,652. That compares to $4,895,963 during the same period in 2018.

“It’s very clear we’ll finish this year off pretty strong,” Town said.

The financial report was delivered at the December commission meeting, which was held earlier than usual. Chief executive officer Theresa Sullivan said as a result the November financial report wasn’t ready for the meeting.

Inpatient revenue was 16 percent below the budget target, Town said, due to lower than expected obstetrics and surgical admissions. Outpatient revenue was about six percent above the budget target. Town said that was due to more patients using the pain management service, laboratory and pharmacy services, and the diagnostic imaging (X-ray) department.

Total expenses for October were one percent higher than budget, but are three percent lower than the budget projection for the year. The hospital is paying more for additional temporary staff (short term nurses and doctors), supplies and leases. In answer to a question from commissioner Joe Akers, Town said hospital officials terminated the MRI lease in November. The hospital had been leasing an MRI while officials purchased and installed one. It went into service in November.

Bad debt and charity care were below the budget target, but the hospital still spent $626,259 in “uncompensated care” in October. The bad debt/charity care bill for the year through October was $5,768,375. Town said the bill could exceed $6.9 million by the end of the year, if current trends continue.

The new clinic on Patton Boulevard is being used by more patients than anticipated, Town said. It opened in November also.

Patients are staying at the hospital longer than allowed for under the budget, Town said. In the case of some patients it takes a while to find another facility for them, he said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columibabasinherald.com.