Erlanger Health System losses are $2.5 million after six months of the fiscal year, including a $1.2 million loss in December.

Chief Finance Office Britt Tabor said the December loss is an improvement over a loss of almost $3.9 million the same month last fiscal year. He said the red ink after six months the prior fiscal year was $10.3 million.

He said at a meeting of the Hospital Authority finance committee on Monday evening, "We’re showing an improvement of almost $8 million over the same period last year.

Surgical inpatients were 19 percent under budget and 11 percent less than last year. Surgical outpatients were 2.3 percent under budget and 3.5 percent less than last year.

Orthopedic inpatient surgeries were under budget by 29 percent, neurosurgery inpatients by 27 percent, and heart/thoracic surgeries with cabs/valves by 26.3 percent.

Mr. Tabor told the panel that high admissions at Children’s Hospital, coupled with “one of our highest volume months in NICU,” helped offset inpatient surgery losses on the Baroness Campus in December.

Although admissions were under budget 5.5 percent for December, they exceeded admissions numbers last December by 1.8 percent.

Erlanger’s emergency room visits were almost 17 percent over budget and 21 percent higher than last year. Helicopter patients were under budget by 2.4 percent and 2.4 percent less than last year.

Cath lab procedures were on budget and more than 16 percent greater than last December.

Mr. Tabor also reported that January inpatient volumes have improved and are over budget.

Paid FTE’s per adjusted occupied bed was 5.35 compared to a budgeted 5.40, and  bad debt and charity care as a percent of gross patient revenue was 9 percent, compared with a budget of 10.41 percent.

Mr. Tabor also noted that, six months into the fiscal year, Erlanger has already provided over $39 million in uncompensated care to the community.

The panel approved the purchase of computers and related software for 2013 at a budgeted cost of $445,000. Officials said, "The objective is to continue Erlanger’s annual 'computer refresh' process, targeting the replacement of the oldest population of computers currently in use – by our clinical, business and physician staffs."  

Also approved was the renovation of Operating Room 19 into a second endovascular suite. Charlsetta Woodard-Thompson said Erlanger currently has one operating room that supports endovascular procedures. Over the past 12 years endovascular procedures are requiring newer technology and larger OR space to accommodate some of the more challenging procedures, she said. Additionally, this service line has seen a significant growth and Erlanger’s single suite has exceeded capacity to accommodate both physician and patient schedules, it was stated.

The cost of the project, which involves renovation of original floors, walls, nurses’ station and build-out of a control area, is $2.3 million.

Mike Baker reported that the renovation project is scheduled to start around March 1.

Ms. Woodard-Thompson also sought committee approval for the purchase of a medical imaging system for radiography and long-length imaging procedures at Children’s Hospital. She told trustees that "the demand for pediatric imaging has remained consistent over the years, but orthopedic volumes have increased and orthopedic clinicians are requesting long length procedures with more frequency."

The budgeted amount for this new equipment is $450,000, and the purchase was also authorized by the committee.