Ellsworth County Medical Center is already seeing several positive cases of flu this season according to ECMC Chief Executive Officer Jim Kirkbride.

At the Sept. 20 meeting of the hospital’s board of directors, he noted the flu cases are occurring sooner than normal this year.

Several positive cases of COVID-19 and strep are also being diagnosed in patients coming to the hospital’s emergency room and rural health clinics.

In other business:

• Kirkbride said the administrative team is trying to get the proper process set up as the hospital looks to add surgery to the list of services it can provide patients. He noted, however, any surgery program must be able to pay for itself in order for it to be implemented.

• Kirkbride said two full-time employees left ECMC in August. That gives a year-to-date total percentage of employees leaving the hospital (not counting PRN or asneeded employees) of 25.5 percent. He noted the hospital’s goal is 19 percent.

• It was noted 164 employees and guests attended the recent recognition of the hospital’s 125th anniversary.

“It was real nice,” Kirkbride said.

• A review of 80 policies was approved by the board after they were previously approved by the medical staff.

• Executive Director for Finance Charles Lewing said ECMC had a really good month financially in August.

He said the hospital had a gross revenue in August of $2,424,199, which was above the budgeted gross amount for the month of $1,992,660, as well as a net revenue for August of $1,761,159, which was also higher than the budgeted amount for the month of $1,430,212.

The hospital’s 340B discount drug program for August came in at $63,910, which was also more than the budgeted amount for the month of $36,806.

Lewing noted expenses were also down for August.

He said the number of inpatient days for August was 62, which remained flat from the prior month’s total of 63 days. Swing bed days dropped from 50 in July to 28 in August, however, the number of outpatient visits rose from 1,166 in July to 1,325 in August, as did the number of clinic encounters (from 1,093 in July to 1,414 in August).

“It’s always good to see high volume,” Lewing noted.

Lewing ended his report by noting the hospital is now under 30 days when it comes to accounts receivable over 90 days.

“I’m real proud of our team for that,” he said.

• Jessica, a representative from Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Kansas who attended the meeting by Zoom, highlighted the success ECMC has had by participating in the BCBSKS qualitybased reimbursement program. She said in 2022, the hospital earned $394,130.75 in added revenue from BCBSKS for providing quality care to its patients.

Furthermore, so far in 2023, ECMC has earned $262,028.35 in added revenue.

Jessica noted ECMC has worked very hard to get its quality-based program up to where it is today.

• Approval was given to the hospital’s strategic plan, which was presented last month.

Kirkbride said the plan, which he described as “an overall hospital driven plan,” will help ECMC meet its community health needs assessment.

• After a 20-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel (provider appointments and reappointments for 2023-24), the following providers were approved for initial appointment: Philip Eisinger D.O., radiology, consultant; Rober Farrell Jr. M.D., radiology, consultant; Sunil Gujrathi M.D., radiology, consultant; Martin Kopec M.D., radiology, consultant; Anthony Mohabir M.D., radiology, consultant; Zachary Plotz M.D., radiology, consultant; Timothy Hanson CRNA, pain management, active.

The following providers were reappointed: David McKenzie M.D., pathology, active; Patrick Leonard M.D., radiology, consultant; Daniel Hulse M.D., radiology, consultant.

• After a 5-minute executive session to discuss data related to business, trade secrets or legal affairs (finances), a set of performance goals for 2023-24 was approved.

The next meeting of the ECMC board of directors will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, in the hospital conference room.