Southwest Memorial Hospital offers a strong diabetes education program. (Photo by Southwest Health System)Southwest Health System
Southwest Health System on Feb. 19 hosted an event at its hospital in Cortez to go over financials and recognize milestones it achieved in its 2024 annual report.
“When our community works together so much can be accomplished,” said hospital CEO Joe Theine. “This year’s annual report reflects on just that – the results we achieved together.”
Theine started by talking about recruiting, something he deemed a “community-wide effort.”
Recruitment
Seventy-seven providers took an interest in working at Southwest Health Systems last year. Of those, 12 were interviewed and the hospital made offers to eight providers. All eight offers were accepted.
“Many of the physicians have already started caring for patients,” Theine said. The rest will start this year.
Since August 2023, they’ve considered more than 100 candidates, conducted 28 interviews and made 18 offers. Seventeen were accepted.
Last year, Southwest Health System also hired its very first chief medical officer, and her name is Dr. Jennifer Gero. She started at the hospital in 2016 as a physician in the emergency department, and now, as chief medical officer, she’s “involved in the long-term decision-making for the hospital.”
National recognition
It was named among “100 Great Community Hospitals for 2024” by Becker’s Healthcare.It received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for staff responsiveness.It received another five-star rating from the National Rural Rating System, which “evaluates hospitals based on rigorous standards, including patient satisfaction, quality of care and overall hospital performance,” according to the annual report. Its Sleep Lab has maintained American Academy accreditation for 10 years.
Other notable milestones
During Nurses and Hospital Week, SHS hosted a slew of events, like a 5k with roughly 50 runners and walkers, a pancake breakfast and a Frito pie lunch. It also organized a food drive and donated 556 pounds of food to local pantries.
Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Gates completed the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Hospital CNO certification.
Lil Bostrom, an operating room nurse at the hospital for 48 years, was honored at the beginning of Nurse Appreciation Week: The hospital dedicated an operating room to her. “Lil is truly a testament of what nursing means to patient care and how that dedication has influenced so many patients’ lives,” Chief Nursing Officer Gates said.
During the summer, the hospital had four high school interns, giving them “a chance to delve into health are careers while working alongside experienced staff at SHS,” the report reads. Year-round, the hospital gives tours to students from Cortez, Mancos, Dolores and Dove Creek.
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper visited to hear concerns and “challenges faced by rural health care.” The report notes that “He emphasized that the government should strive to offer equal quality of care to everyone, whether they reside in a large city or small town.”
Sen. Cleave Simpson also visited the hospital. He got a tour and discussed “priorities for the upcoming legislative session. … Simpson has been an advocate for rural communities and local health care,” the report said. Staci Cost, Doctor of Physical Therapy, “was the recipient of the 2024 SHS nomination to the Community Hospital Corp. Wilford Award.” That award “recognizes individuals who demonstrate remarkable concern for the welfare and happiness of patients,” among other things. Cost was also named the hospital’s “Leader of the Year.”
New equipment
Funding from the LOR Foundation and the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation helped the hospital purchase:
Fiber-optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing equipment. EMS ambulance equipment.Newborn hearing screener, which is “essential for the early detection of hearing loss in newborn,” its annual report explains. Panda Warmer for maternal infant care “to provide a warm and comfortable environment for newborns immediately after birth.”
Financials
It had a net revenue of roughly $85 million, and total operating expenses of about $79.5 million. Its net income, then, was $5.15 million.
Notable stats from 2024
There were just over 43,000 outpatient diagnostic visits, and 13,500 emergency visits. There were 145 births. The senior lunch program served about 3,000 meals to community members 60 and older. The primary goal of the program is to curb feelings of isolation and social disconnection, which has an impact “comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.” Last year, Southwest Health Systems contributed $18,400 to the community through sponsorships and donations.
Looking ahead
At the end of the presentation, Theine looked ahead at 2025 and beyond.
“As we look into the future there remain many uncertainties in rural health care,” he said.
Specifically with the new administration and possible cuts to Medicaid; 17% of the hospital’s budget comes from it, so Theine called those possible cuts the “biggest threat” to rural health care at a Jan. 22 Mancos Town Board meeting.
And rather than sitting back and seeing what happens, Theine said the board, staff and other leaders proactively came together “to plan for the future.”
Theine said that they plan to continue to offer “world class health care close to home,” and give patients the opportunity to establish a primary care physician. Plus, it aims to retain employees and keep updating infrastructure, among other things. Most all of its goals and growth is dependent upon the community choosing to receive care at one of its locations.
And so the report ends with a “thank you.”
“Southwest Health Systems expresses gratitude to the community, board members, and stakeholders for entrusting SHS with the care of themselves and their families in 2024.”
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