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Christian Hospital Achieves Many ’07 Goals, Seeks More Gains in ‘08
BY BOB LINDSEY
Christian Hospital, which includes Northwest Health Care, has achieved several of their six-month goals for the second half of 2007 and has announced major goals for 2008 to further improve the “bottom line.”
Included in those 2007 goals were recruiting more nurses and doctors, improving patient and employee relations and lowering the annual budget loses. Christian Hospital president Ron McMullen outlined the improvements and new goals at the quarterly breakfast meeting last Friday for North County community leaders.
Christian recruited 122 nurses in 2007, four physicians, began recruiting for four additional specialists, and improved doctor’s time with hospitalized patients.
McMullen’s 2008 employment goals include recruiting four primary care physicians, three more specialists, and reducing RN turnover to 12.9 percent by adding 90 new RH hires Other goals include gaining 1.5 percent additional heart businesses and 1.5 percent more vascular surgery business, shortening “in and out” emergency care at Northwest HealthCare for routine visits, increasing CT and MRI volume and improving patent satisfaction scores. He wants to minimize ambulance diversion to no more than 369 hours per year.
The hospital’s goal is also to achieve 4800 diabetes screenings, which can be accomplished with their Diabetes Busters bus that travels the area offering screenings, “Many people are walking around North County not knowing they have diabetes,” said McMullen.
The Christian Hospital president has set a goal of $5.7 million operating loss for 2008. Last year’s $13.million was 10 percent better than budgeted and 31 percent better than 2006. One of the major reasons McMullen was brought to Christian was his success in improving the financial picture at hospitals where he previously was an administrator.
“While we have a way to go, we performed ten percent better than budget and 31 percent better than the previous year (2006),” said McMullen noting that Christian Hospital “has the burden for the community of patients who can’t pay.” The hospital and health care unit provided $25.8 million in uncompensated care provided in 2007.
Christian Hospital has named new vice-presidents (see story at left) and one, Dr. Melanie Mueth was introduced and gave a brief presentation on her background with BJC and what she foresees in her new position as chief medical officer for the hospital.
