The Washington County Hospital Board of Trustees met last night and they looked over the financial statements. Chief Financial Officer Elaine Matzenbacher explained the statistics were down in almost every category from what was budgeted. Total admissions was at 22, three less than anticipated, total patient days was estimated at just over 1,000, but was actually 909. Emergency room visits was at 202, but was budgeted at 250. Surgery cases was budgeted at 43 and there were 46. Outpatient visits were nearly 300 less than last month, but about 160 more than anticipated at 2,826. For the year to date, almost all the categories follow the same trend as November’s actuals compared to what was budgeted. For the month of November, the hospital reported a loss of $68,462, while they reported a loss of $97,557 for last November. For the year to date, they report an income of $200,162. Next, Kim Larkin, Chief Information Officer made her report on the Informational Systems, which included the completion of the Medicaid Meaningful Use Attestation and got it submitted. The hospital is eligible for $13,000 this year, down from the $26,000 to $28,000 last year, but it can only be for 25 percent of the allowed amount this year. It will be a new set up next year. They also want to get more people involved in using the Patient Portal. Board member Victor Lopez said he found the service easy and very secure. Larkin describes this service, which is available to all patients on the ambulatory side of medicine or those services not needing hospitalization. This is for someone to use instead of calling and can be done from an smart phone or secure computer. Prescription refills can be requested, appointments made or questions for a nurse submitted. Then, someone will reply back to the patient. It is available by visiting the Washington County Hospital website. Dave Davenport, Human Resources Director, informed the Board about the Annual Employee Celebration on January 17th with an Oscars theme. There will be 16 service awards for employees ranging from 40 years of service to 5 years. The Board of Trustees learned about the Telepsych Services that will be up and running in January. Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Newby explains the join pilot program with CenterPointe Hospital in Saint Louis. This was the number one request after the results from the community survey as there are no psychiatric services in the area, so this service will be a session through the internet with the psychiatrist from Saint Louis. She says this will be available up to twice a month and they already have 4 patients signed up. The internet connection is fully encrypted and secure. Newby also talked about the Outpatient Infusion Clinic getting up and running in January. This will be available to people for various services, she says. This includes IV medications, plain IV fluids, blood transfusions, immunizations and allergy shots. This will be available Mondays through Fridays. They have taken a Harmony Room and will move the Immunization Room into it. It will be furnished and staffed as such, but it is only moving things around and there will be no extra cost. She says most of the doctors’ offices are doing fewer immunizations and so the business is picking up for the hospital. Chief Financial Officer Elaine Matzenbacher explained there are 3 new policies dealing with financial assistance that needed to be approved. Much of this deals with mandated laws that go in effect next month, but that they have already been doing much of what is now law. One involves eligibility for charity write-offs, while another deals with an uninsured discount and the third is an update on a financial assistance policy and the application. They were approved by the Board.