Good news was abundant at the June meeting of the Mississippi County Hospital Systems Board of Trustees Tuesday morning.
Paul Zuidema, acting chief financial officer, told the board that collections for hospital services is steadily increasing, lessening the amount of money from the county's coffers needed to operate the hospital.
When Zuidema and Jim Richardson, acting CEO of the facility, came on board in March, the county was collecting none of the past debts for services rendered.
Zuidema and Richardson are employed by QHR, a hospital management company contracted by the county to operate the hospital on a trial basis.
The former management company, Ameris, fell behind in collections, which resulted in the reduction of services offered at the county's two hospitals.
Zuidema said Tuesday that QHR is collecting more than $400,000 a week in debts, which offsets the amount needed from the county to operate the facilities.
The goal is to collect $500,000 per week, he said. This amount will almost make the hospitals self-sufficient, he said.
The county pays QHR $135,000 per month to manage the facilities. The money comes from the county property tax, which collected $808,485 in 2008. The balance of the fund was turned over to the hospitals' operations in March.
According to records in the county treasurer's office, $3,650,000 has been spent on hospital operations thus far, leaving a balance of $850,125.
The figure does not include $7,931.24 in county tax collections in May for the hospital's operations.
Other good news shared during the meeting was the re-opening of the surgery center at South Mississippi County Regional Medical Center in Osceola, which is scheduled for today, Richardson said.
The surgery center will provide a place for physicians to perform minor surgical procedures at the facility.
Richardson also told the board that the hospital needs a general surgeon, as well as other physicians. "The first thing we need to go after is a general surgeon," Richardson said.
To help recruit physicians, Richardson has entered into agreements with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences physician recruitment program and another firm that has previously worked with QHR to recruit physicians.
The county's hospitals need an internist, a family practice physician and an OB/GYN specialist to be secured first, then other physicians within the year, Richardson said.
Richardson said he is also proposing an increase in the fees paid to Genesis Emergency Medical Services, who contracts with SMC to provide emergency room physicians. The hospital's current contract expires on June 30.
The board approved Richardson's request to negotiate a new contract with GEMS.
Dr. Sherita Willis, chief of staff at SMC, told the board that Richardson's proposed increase was "a good deal" for the hospital.
The board also approved appointments of staff. Those include Michal Hinz, Sanjay Nortom, Anoop Duggal, tele-radiology and Carl Regier, radiologist , at both SMC and Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Re-appointments at SMC included Debbie Wilhite, advanced practices nurse. Other appointments are GRMC are Jeffery Hall, anesthesiology, Michael Vengrow, EEG readings, Teodoro Manubay, radiology and William Coleman Kent, GEMS.
QHR's contract with the county will expire next month. Negotiations are already in progress to continue QHR's services at the facilities, Richardson said.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com