The East Carroll Parish Hospital and its medical clinics are currently in stable financial position, but are waiting for an influx of money from Medicaid reimbursements, according to a report given to the hospital’s board of commissioners at its meeting last month.
Ladonna Englerth, East Carroll Parish Hospital Administrator, told the board that expenses are higher than at this time a year ago, but administrators are awaiting a Medicaid ID number for the FQHC clinic, and once that is in place, the hospital will receive reimbursements from the government.
Typically once a healthcare system has qualified for FQHC status, it receives its Medicaid number within 45 days. It has been months for the local hospital.
Englerth told board members that the hospital expenditures are up for the fiscal year compared to this time period from a year ago, but she pointed out that the hospital had to order a lot of supplies that different departments were low in and that investments were made in different equipment, such as a CAT scan and other medical devices. These upgrades will pay for themselves and help local patients, due to the fact that it will prevent them from having to go out of town to have tests performed.
The hospital’s fiscal budget goes from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Visits to the local clinics are down this year compared to this point last year, but she went on to say that the issue is not of great concern due to the fact that oftentimes, the numbers at the clinics are reflective of seasonal medical issues, such as how severe flu seasons are, as well as other viruses like the coronavirus.
“We are in a good position financially, but we are always keeping a watchful eye on everything because we know how fast things can look good and turn bad,” said Englerth.
The hospital is currently looking to either do renovations on its patients’ wing or explore the option to build a new hospital if the assistance from USDA can make it possible.
