Hospital accepts budget, discusses patient noise complaints

    At its Nov. 27 meeting, the East Phillips County Hospital District board approved Melissa Memorial Hospital’s 2019 operating and capital budgets, and certified the mill levy, as presented by MMH CFO Wes White.
    White said the organization has several projects planned for the coming year, including the introduction of mental, dental and chemotherapy service lines.
    The hospital also hopes to complete its implementation of the 340B Drug Purchase Discount Program, which offers cheaper pharmaceuticals through drug manufacturers participating in Medicaid. Between May and September, the hospital reported they had already saved $165,000 through the program.
    The Intacct general ledger and financial reporting system is projected to improve financial management with departmental responsibility reporting. Additionally, with the help of a Colorado Health Foundation grant, the hospital hopes to implement the VersaBadge and Adaptive Insight systems.
    Other changes include improving the accuracy of the Medicare cost report, implementing the Caravan Accountable Care Organization to facilitate population health management and improving processes and workflows to achieve optimal utilization of the Athena systems and other interfaced information systems.
    Next year will see a 6 percent general rate increase in the hospital charge master. A 10 percent increase in emergency department visits has been budgeted for, along with a 24 percent decrease in visits to the eye care clinic, an 8 percent increase in CT exams and a 247 percent increase in MRIs, considering the hospital’s new MRI machine which will become operational Jan. 1. A 96 percent increase in mammography exams is also projected for Julesburg patients.

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