NRMC finances 'not good,' monthly report indicates

In an information-packed Tuesday night session, Nevada Regional Medical Center directors heard October "was a rough month" with numerous postponements of surgeries and cancellations of out-patient visits.

Chief Financial Officer Cindy Buck explained that the surgeries weren't performed because surgeons were vacationing, but she said seeing only 3,881 out-patients, short of the budgeted 3,904, was alarming.

"The in-patient side is strong, but the out-patient side is struggling because there were a lot of no-shows," Buck said. "It's not looking good."

However, she said it is encouraging that NRMC's accounts receivable had decreased to $14.4 million by the end of October from $15.2 million Sept. 30. The hospital's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

Barely able to field a quorum with board members Phil Martin, Julie McKinley and Bill Denman absent, the panel heard Buck say 200 in-patients' admissions in October exceeded summertime projections by nine.

"Total gross patient revenues of $6,170,172 were less than budgeted for the month by 10.4 percent," she said. "NRMC experienced an operating loss of $326,481 as compared to a budgeted operating income of $69,684."

Buck added that only two of 10 comparable hospitals in the region operated in the black last month. "We're in the middle of the pack, which is unusual because we usually lead it," she said.

"It does help to know that we're not alone."

Board Chairman Glenn Rogers commented that the hospital "will continue to work as hard as we can on things we can control and recognize there are some things we cannot."

In other business, the members put Rogers back into the top slot while electing Steve Russ vice chairman and Denman secretary. Rogers gave outgoing vice chairman Chuck Edmonds an appreciative plaque for his six years' service and noted the city council had recently named Jenise Burch and Wayne Prewitt to succeed Edmonds and Martin.

Quorum Health Resources Regional Vice President Craig Sims of Brentwood, Tenn., the hospital's chief management consultant, lauded NRMC's passing an inspection by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations with only minor suggestions for improvement.

"This is a very good report," Sims said.

In a lighthearted moment, Chief Nursing Officer Cory Vokoun said the institution recorded a rarity last month -- the births of three sets of twins.

"What happened nine months ago, I don't know," quipped Vokoun, eliciting smiles around the table.

Other directors who took part in the meeting from 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. were David Millam, Catherine Hissink and Bryan Breckenridge.