$11.4 million East Adams hospital budget proposed

RITZVILLE – The East Adams Rural Hospital board is considering an $11.4 million operating budget next year.

The proposed 2022 budget includes an 8% increase in fees for outpatient ancillary services. It also includes a 3% increase for salaries, and a 3% non-salary inflation factor.

East Adams Rural Hospital Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Polanco submitted her proposed operating and capital budgets for the 2022 fiscal year during the board’s November meeting.

The executive summary balance sheet shows total assets for 2022 at $17,195,333 and liabilities are $17,084,655.

The total operating revenues are budgeted at $11,423,108 and total expenses are budgeted for $12,319,199, leaving a shortfall of $896,091. Non-operating revenue is budgeted at $1,200,437 for a net surplus of $304,346.

Key budget assumptions include an increase in acute care from 61 days in 2021 to 73 in 2022, the budget shows. Skilled swing-care days are also increased from 631 days in 2021 to 840 days in 2022.

Outpatient service volume is expected to increase from an average of 19 patients per day in 2021 to 21 patients per day in 2022, the budget shows. Clinic visits are expected to increase from an average of 19 patients per day in 2021 to 26 in 2022.

In staffing, five new positions are budgeted, including nursing leadership, a registered nurse, medical records clerk, patient registrar and an accounting clerk.

The capital budget requests include $1,242,070 for three renovation projects on the hospital campus, a mobile clinic, replacement of a 2004 Dodge truck, and a 15% down payment on a five-year contract for medical software.