The Alva Hospital Authority held their final formal meeting of 2017 on Tuesday night. The December meeting is usually a dinner for board members and their spouses. A meeting notice is posted, but it states that no business will be conducted. The next formal meeting will be in January.

CEO Kandice Allen said the surveyors showed up last week to see if the hospital meets the standards for the critical access designation. Allen said the survey went smoothly and they were relieved to have it behind them. She said there are few items the hospital needs to correct and is expecting receive a report soon. She believes any problems can be easily handled.

Allen displayed certificates awarded to the hospital for high marks in quality and patient satisfaction.

Three employees – Heather, Amber and Rhonda – attended a Critical Access Hospital Medicare boot camp in Oklahoma City. The class supplied great information for current billing as well as critical access.

The facility has six new employees: two for the hospital and four for the nursing home. Those hired for the hospital are LPNs Katy Tanio and Paula Adams. CNAs April Fulgium, Kara Mills, Karen Siegfred and Jay Taylor were hired for the nursing home. CEO Allen mentioned that Dr. Benjamin Hicks, MD, is now working in the physician's clinic with Dr. Michael Lawrence in the west end of the building.

The only thing to come out of the medical staff meeting was the need to recertify Dr. Phil Self as active staff. This was done Tuesday evening.

CFO Kevin O'Brien said the ending cash balance for October was $283,335, which represents 7.6 days of operating expenses, excluding depreciation. Hospital accounts receivable are at $2,725,772, which is a decrease of $173,402 for October.

Accounts payable for October stands at $7,708,597, which represents 41.2 days of operating expenses excluding the costs related to salaries, benefits and depreciation.

Patient days in October were 83 compared to 122 in September. However, clinic visits were up from 1,306 to 1,532.

The hospital net loss for October was $289,330. After sales tax revenue is applied, the net loss is $182,649. Both the nursing home and the Homestead made profits, so the net loss for October was $121,026.