Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System's third-quarter earnings increased year over year and exceeded budget projections, according to a report on Chattanoogan.com.
The health system ended the third quarter with operating income of $8.5 million, which exceeded Erlanger's budget target by $1.3 million and the prior year by $7 million, according to the report.
Erlanger officials partially attributed the financial results to increased patient volumes. In total, admissions grew 12.4 percent in the third quarter, and heart surgeries in particular grew 61 percent year over year following launch of the health system's heart and lung institute, according to the report.
Erlanger "East [Hospital] nearly tripled prior year volumes," Erlanger CFO Britt Tabor said in the report.
"Overall, it was a very strong quarter for inpatient volumes for the entire health system," he added.
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