BY ANDY GARDNER North Country This Week MASSENA -- Massena Memorial Hospital lost just over $1 million in July as inpatient volume slid below last year's total, and was below their budget number. "We …
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BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week
MASSENA -- Massena Memorial Hospital lost just over $1 million in July as inpatient volume slid below last year's total, and was below their budget number.
"We continue our downward slump in regards to admissions," MMH Chief Financial Officer Pat Facteau told the Board of Managers on Monday night.
According to a financial and statistical summary for July, they discharged 125 inpatients last month, below their budget anticipation of 155 and the July 2018 total of 143.
"Our issue on the loss is $750,000 ... it has to do with shortage of revenues compared to last year," Facteau told the board.
He also said their outpatient activity has contributed to $900,000 of their annual shortfall, and they had to pay $128,000 into their self-insured employee health insurance plan.
Facteau pointed out measures being taken to soften the financial loss. He said they've added pediatric and obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) doctors, which saves money on contract physicians. And they've reduced the number of contract nurses and anesthesiologists, along with cancelling the contract for their robotic surgery device.
Later in the meeting, the Board of Managers voted to move forward with closing their ICU. Patients will still be able to be treated, but most cases will be sent to other hospitals when they need intensive care.
MMH board President Loretta Perez said despite the shortfalls, she thinks they are taking steps that will eventually reverse their financial trends.
"I think we're making progress. I think there are good days coming, I hope," Perez said.