PORT ANGELES — Lower patient volumes have put Olympic Medical Center $297,000 in the red this year, Chief Executive Officer Eric Lewis said.
“It’s been a very challenging year, primarily due to lower volumes,” Lewis told the seven hospital commissioners in their Wednesday night meeting.
Adjusted patient days, which include inpatient and outpatient services, are down 7 percent at OMC compared with the first four months of 2011.
Lewis attributed the decline to higher deductibles in patients’ insurance plans and the tough economy.
“It’s happening from Everett to Olympia, across the region: Volumes are down,” Lewis said.
Inpatient admissions are down 4 percent, and emergency room visits are 6 percent under last year.
“I think it’s the first year since I’ve been here that our emergency department has actually experienced a decrease,” Lewis said.
On the expense side, the public hospital district is 4.5 percent under budget.
Shifting expenses
“We just have not been able to shift expenses down fast enough,” Lewis said.
“We’re working really hard to adjust our expenses to current volumes.”
Lewis said the Swedish Medical Center buying group that OMC recently joined will begin to pay off later this year.
Facing growing financial pressure from state and federal cuts, OMC commissioners in February approved a financial stability plan that includes a one-year delay in the expansion of the hospital’s crowded emergency room.
The $8.3 million expansion from nine to 21 beds is now planned for 2014.
Part of that project is to convert the vacant lots near the hospital into needed parking space.
“We’ve had a parking shortage for quite some time, and right now, we’re working on a project to add 100 parking spots east of the hospital,” Lewis said.
“We’re finalizing the design. It would cost about $325,000.”
Rolled into the parking lot project will be the addition of an electrical source from the Port Angeles grid to provide more reliable power and emergency backup.
“Most hospitals these days are actually fed from two different locations,” Lewis said
“You lose power less, and you can get power back up quicker.”
Adding a second power source would cost about $100,000.
Bids will go out in June, and the results will be available for board consideration in July.
Walk-in clinic
Lewis also announced that OMC’s new walk-in clinic opened this week at the Sequim campus.
The small, dual-exam-room clinic is open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“I think we’re seeing 12 patients a day, so it is meeting a need,” Lewis said.
“It is going to slowly expand. We need to hire more practitioners, more physicians and advanced-practice clinicians.
“But eventually, it will be open seven days a week and into the evening.”
OMC plans to expand the walk-in clinic to serve Eastern Clallam County and alleviate pressure on the emergency room.
Late last year, OMC and Jefferson Healthcare approved separate affiliation agreements with Swedish Medical Center to expand local services while reaping the financial rewards of teaming up with the Seattle health care giant.
Forks Community Hospital signed a similar affiliation agreement with Swedish in January.
Lewis said he is “pleased with the progress and direction” of OMC’s affiliation with Swedish.
“It’s been going on for less than seven months, and it is really going well,” he said.
OMC worked with Swedish to recruit a new sleep physician — Dr. Michael McDonald — to the North Olympic Peninsula.
The sides are now working to recruit a neurologist and expand OMC’s cardiology services and telemedicine.
Weekly teleconferences are being held on the implementation of Epic electronic medical records, which Swedish already uses.
A three-day site visit is scheduled next month.
“I will say that Swedish has delivered on everything they promised through the RFP [request for proposals] negotiation process and the contracting phase,” Lewis said.
“It’s been a real fun, positive relationship with Swedish. I think all of us are enjoying working with them and really changing the delivery of care here in Clallam County.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
