Vermillion hospital in sound fiscal health

Tim Tracy, the hospital's CEO, told citizens at the Dakota Hospital Association and Foundation's annual meeting Tuesday that another important factor plays a key role in the facility's success.

"The staff here is unbelievable," he said. "It is so much fun to watch them put together different projects, and to see them accomplish all of the community projects that they do ? thousands of hours are volunteered every year by the staff."

The hospital, with its 270 employees and salaries and benefits totaling $7.9 million, was a busy place in 2004.

Nearly 600 people were admitted as inpatients in the facility, which includes 91 licensed beds in the hospital and care center.

Eighty-four babies were born that year, and over 11,500 people visited the facility on an outpatient basis.

Just under 700 surgeries were performed at the hospital in 2004. The laboratory conducted 140,000 tests, and the hospital's x-ray department conducted over 12,300 procedures.

All therapy visits in 2004, in the area of physical, occupational, speech, cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, senior wellness and free education seminars and screenings, totaled 125.

Of great significance, Tracy said, is the health center being recognized by the state as an "essential provider.

"That changed the way that we got reimbursed by Medicare, and it contributedly greatly to us having a positive operating year," he said.

The hospital, in fact, was able to allocate $72,000 to the Dakota Hospital Association and Foundation board of directors.

The funds are being put to good use, said Gene Lunn, president of the association's board.

"For fiscal year 2006, we have identified $125,957 in capital projects," he said.

Workers are presently replacing windows at the health center. There are also plans to upgrade a variety of items, from the the clinic's air conditioning unit to a water heater in the kitchen."

Several other "big ticket" items have been purchased to keep the services offered by the health center on the cutting edge.

"We recently spent $43,000 for one piece of equipment for the lab," Tracy said. "And, we spend $500,000 for a new CT scanner.

"There are some smaller tickets items, too," he said. "We spent $34,000 to replace worn carpet. It takes a lot of dollars to keep an operation like this moving forward."