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Thursday, September 10, 2015
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FY 2015: Investment; FY 2016: Growth Perry Memorial Hospital executives discuss multiple expansion efforts By Eric Engel eengel@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Executive team members of Perry Memorial Hospital attended the Princeton City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, to provide citizens with a hopeful update on hospital activity. Perry Memorial Hospital CEO Rex Conger said auditors McGladrey & Pullen presented the official audit to the PMH Board of Directors on July 23. Based on the audit, PMH’s statement of operations for FY ‘15 ending April 30 showed a net loss of $1,714,481. The hospital experienced a gross patient service revenue of $71,500,000, a 9 percent increase from FY ‘14. Conger said of that $71,500,000, PMH wrote off $38,800,000 through three different write-offs. The first was contractual adjustments, which represents the dif-
ference between what the hospital charges for its services and the amounts they are actually reimbursed. Adjustments for Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance products, like Blue Cross and Blue Shield, were close to $6,000,000 more than in FY ‘14, Conger said. The hospital also provided financial assistance to patients who meet state or hospital guidelines, and bad debt is incurred for patients who do not pay for their services. Conger said that resulted in $32,600,000 in net patient service revenue, which is used to cover operating expenses for the year. The total was a 4.3 percent increase from FY ‘14. Overall expenses increased 3 percent from last year due to added staff for the Perry Memorial Family Health Clinic, Conger said, adding operational expenses will be closely monitored throughout. Medicaid, which Conger said is historically untimely with reimbursements, will not lead to an increase in net revenue.
Conger, who emphasized PMH’s commitment to constructive adjustment and quality professional and patient care, was followed at the meeting by PMH’s new Chief Financial Officer Mike DeFoe. DeFoe noted the hospital’s board looked at FY ‘15 as an investment year, with FY ‘16 being viewed as a growth year. Community benefit, which reflects the hospital’s expenses in service to Princeton citizens, was over $12,000,000 for FY ‘15. Included in the expenses was Camp Med, an opportunity for 15 junior high students to explore careers in healthcare; Mega Brain, the world’s only inflatable, walk-through brain exhibit; and support for the Bureau County Health and Wellness Center as well as the nursing program at Illinois Valley Community College. DeFoe said new services, including balance screening for older individuals susceptible to falls, and home sleep studies, allowing for medical analysis in a comfortable setting, were recently introduced. He also spoke of the Family
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Hit and run suspect charged Walnut man faces Class 4 felony By Eric Engel eengel@bcrnews.com
OHIO — A Walnut man has been charged following a hit and run incident Sunday afternoon involving a 6-year-old bicyclist. According to a Bureau County Sheriff’s accident report, Michael S. Ringle, 46, of Walnut was driving westbound on Route 92 at 6:37 p.m. Sept. 6, when he struck a bicyclist and proceeded to leave the scene. The accident occurred just west of Route 26 in Ohio. Ringle indicated to officers the sun was in his eyes while driving, and he thought he struck a mailbox, according to the report. The report also states Ringle left the road-
way to the right and struck the young rider before continuing westbound on Route 92. The boy’s father, Travis Miller, said his son, who lives in Sheffield, was staying at his grandmother’s home for the weekend and was on his bicycle between his grandma and her boyfriend when Ringle struck him on his right side and sent him flying under a guard rail. The boy was rushed to Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, where X-rays were taken to check for internal bleeding. He was then transported to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria by an ambulance crew out of
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County reviews credit card use By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The new county administrator is currently writing a new policy for credit card use in county departments. Sue McLaughlin updated the county board on Tuesday, Sept. 8, about her progress with the new policy. After meeting with the fees and salaries committee, she said it was decided the county should look into setting up a business credit card account with Heartland Bank and Trust Co. Year 169 No. 108 One Section - 20 Pages
She said currently there are multiple cards being used by county department heads that all have different due dates, and there are concerns about interests and penalty issues. McLaughlin said with the new credit card system, the county will be able to set limits and uses for the new cards. She said once she gets more information from the bank about the use of the account, she will bring back more information to the fees
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Preparing for Homestead hoopla Matt Anderson works on a float that will be part of the annual Bureau County Homestead Festival parade, which is set to step off on North Main Street in Princeton at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. Parade-goers will enjoy a long parade that travels down Main Street and ends at Soldiers and Sailors Park. Many favorite and new parade entries are scheduled.
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