Memorial Hospital and Manor, an 80-bed community hospital in Bainbridge, Ga., is working to improve its financial picture after a recent audit report revealed ongoing concerns and risks facing the hospital, reports The Post-Searchlight.
Bert Bennett, a certified public accountant with Draffin and Tucker of Atlanta, told the hospital board Monday there were significant risks putting the hospital's future in jeopardy, according to the article.
"What I do want to make sure the board hears is we as auditors are not saying the doors are going to close," Mr. Bennet said. "What we are saying is there are significant steps you have to take, some things that our outside of your control, that you must accomplish."
The hospital, which is owned and operated by the Hospital Authority of the City of Bainbridge and Decatur County, has lost more than $10 million the past two years, according to the article. CEO Billy Walker attributed the losses to various factors, including computer systems that were not up to date and personnel not doing their jobs correctly.
Now, the facility is taking steps to turn around the hospital's finances. Mr. Walker recently noted various short-term goals, including redesigning the revenue cycle system; engaging in a healthcare cooperative with Decatur County and the City of Bainbridge to reduce employee healthcare costs and potentially save more than $100,000; and pursuing grant funding and recruiting new physicians, reports The Post-Searchlight.
According to the report, some of those goals are already in progress, including the redesign of revenue cycles, and the hospital has already seen finances improve the past two months.