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Note: To view the latest breaking news, please click the button at the top of the menu to the left. If the button is not present, it is because there has been no breaking news published yet this week. Hospital Authority passes 'negative budget' for 2008 At the monthly Hospital Authority meeting Wednesday, June 27, the board passed a "negative budget" for 2008. Len Daugherty, CEO, said that Emanuel Medical Center had "assumed no growth in business" last year and that they would have to "tighten their belts" in the coming months. "Every little bit helps," he said. He added that he had been aggressive in cutting expenses, but felt that any more cost-cutting would not have been prudent. An abbreviated Budget Assumptions for Year Ending June 30, 2008 is as follows: Gross Patient Revenue: No volume growth is projected for the hospital. No global price changes. Selected price changes will be implemented with the completed chargemaster review. Deductions from Revenue: No Indigent Care Trust Fund or Upper Payment Limit receipts are budgeted. Other Operating Revenue: Increase is primarily due to increased subsidy related to Emergency Medical Services. Salaries, Wages and Benefits Will decrease with implementation of productivity standards. Current reduction is estimated at 15 full-time equivalents (positions.) Annual salary increase available is 2 percent. Health insurance is budgeted at $2,365,900, an increase from FY 2007. "We are performing over $3 million in charity care," said Mitchell Fagler, chairman. "When the Indigent Care Trust Fund comes in, we only have about $500,000 for that. This hospital is providing $2.5 million in care for people who cannot afford to pay it and we are absorbing that cost." "We are experiencing, in Emanuel County, an increase in underfunded and unfunded patients," said Daugherty. "The hospital is going through some dramatic changes," said Emanuel County Commissioner James Canady. "Changes had to be made and are being made. From what I see, it's on a turnaround. It will take all of us to make it work." During the nursing report, Ginger Hall said there were staff vacancies but mentioned that there had been a freeze on the hiring of nurses. However, Daugherty said there was no freeze. He also said there was no freeze on salaries for the nurses. During the medical staff report, Dr. Stephen Ray recommended the re-appointment of Dr. Somsak Wattanawanakul to the Radiology Department. The motion was approved. Also approved were the appointments of Dr. Steven Ramsay and Dr. Vincent Ferguson, emergency room associate staff. A summary of the meeting was not available. Minutes for the meeting will be available next month after approval by board members. Members of the Emanuel County Hospital Authority are Dr. Anthony Howard, Craig McNeely, Scotty Hudson, Bill Carmichael (vice-chairman), John Whetsell, Clark Dixon, Chief of Staff Dr. James Ray, Mitchell Fagler (chairman), Butch Frye (secretary/treasurer) and Joe English.
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