Stephens Co. Hospital Authority Receives June Financial Report

Stephens County Hospital is reporting that June’s financial numbers were not up to where it wanted them to be.

Hospital authority members received the financial report at Monday’s monthly authority meeting.

According to Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell, the hospital’s revenues last month were not at the level that the hospital budgeted them to be.

Gambrell said the hospital just was not as busy as was expected.

“Last winter, we were busier than budgeted, but we slowed down,” said Gambrell. “We are slower right now. That is just the way it is. Surgery was busier in June than it was in May, for example, and the ER was relatively busy, but the inpatient census was down. That is just what happened, so we were under the budget for revenue.”

Gambrell did say that the hospital is keeping its expenses in line when compared to what was budgeted.

“I know in June itself, our expenses were 10 percent below the budgeted amount, so we are doing a good job controlling expenses,” said Gambrell. “We will continue that.”

Gambrell also said that they expect the hospital to get busier again once school starts back and Fall approaches.

The hospital’s fiscal year runs through September 30.

On another financial note, Gambrell said the hospital was able to pay off some debt in the last month.

“We bought hospital beds about five years ago and we are making the last payment in right now and there is another note we are paying off this Fall, so we are getting some of our long-term debt paid off,” said Gambrell. “Stephens County Hospital is in wonderful shape in terms of bond indebtedness. We are at $4 million right now, so we are in great shape on that.”

Gambrell also said that he feels the hospital’s cash flow position is strong at this point in the year.