Search
Polls
Latest Forum Posts
| Taking a Knee unclebuck 15-11-08 13:51 |
| Re:Football unclebuck 07-10-08 15:24 |
| Re:Football unclebuck 02-10-08 12:59 |
Login Form
| Health district passes $5.3 million budget |
|
|
| Written by Maddy Houk / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Saturday, 17 May 2008 | |
|
The Del Puerto Health Care District approved a $5.2 million budget for the 2008-2009 year earlier this month in anticipation of a new specialty center and more physicians in town. “We need to have two providers at the health center during the week,” Margo Arnold, CEO of the district, said during the board’s May 6 meeting. “We’re looking really strong at recruiting one more physician.” The district health center includes Dr. Eric Ramos, who oversees family practice, and pediatrician Dr. Eugene Lamazor, with nurse practitioners and physician assistants also on hand. The new budget includes money for the district itself and the entities it runs — Patterson District Ambulance, Del Puerto Health Center and the new Del Puerto Specialty Center, which the district plans to open soon. Expected income for the Del Puerto Health Care District, which aims to bring health care services to the West Side, will come from property taxes, mitigation fees, interest income and insurance and patient payments. Patterson District Ambulance’s money comes from direct assessments and insurance and patient payments. The expected expenses for all entities in the district is $4.68 million for salaries, benefits, fuel, utilities, repairs and maintenance, lease, insurance and fees. That would put the district as a whole $408,536 in the black. The total income for running the Del Puerto Health Care District administrative office and its staff comes in at $912,000. After expenses of $300,020, the district has a net income of $611,980. Del Puerto Health Care Center is expected to bring in about $2.77 million and run $50,408 in the black after expenses. Patterson District Ambulance, on the other hand, is expected to have a total income of about $1.14 million and end up $18,221 in the red. “One of the anticipated changes we want to take a look at is where we are this year and bring ambulance billing in-house,” Arnold said. The district brought billing in-house for Del Puerto Health Care Center in an attempt to improve timeliness and efficiency. The center also introduced electronic medical records for its patient services. Arnold said this year, the district hopes to bring billing in-house for Patterson District Ambulance. Income for the Del Puerto Specialty Center, which the district hopes to open by the end of the year, is expected to be $390,200. Total expenses of $553,831, however, are expected to leave the new specialty center with a loss of $163,631. The specialty center would open next to the Del Puerto Health Care offices on Ward Avenue and Highway 33. The district also hopes to offer more services from specialty providers such as orthopedic doctors and companies such as Stanislaus Cardiology and Modesto Imaging. It also wants to recruit additional physicians to the community. “We want to move along, expand and grow,” Arnold said. “We want to make sure it’s an expansion of our existing services and be able to provide more services to the community.” The board also reviewed Del Puerto Health Care District’s $217,500 capital budget, a “wish list” of items needed over the next fiscal year. Board members will vote on the items as needed and if money allows. Some needs include a new paint job for the health care district offices and Patterson District Ambulance quarters, both on E Street, as well as the Del Puerto Health Care Center. The ambulance company also needs new equipment. “I know there was a lot of hard work put into this budget,” board president Ed Maring told the budget committee after the board’s vote. “It’s ambitious, but it’s realistic.” To reach Maddy Houk at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email This
Hits: 232 Comments
(0)
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed