MOSES LAKE — Samaritan Healthcare chief financial officer Alex Town started his report at Tuesday’s commission meeting with a note of caution. “The first thing I want to say is, don’t get used to every month being this good,” he said.

Net income in March was $693,936, more than double the 2018 budget target. For 2018 to date the hospital has generated $1,502,955 in net income, about double the budget estimate.

Inpatient revenue for March was above the budget targets, Town said. “What we’re seeing is the increase in inpatient admission and patient days. Year to date you’re actually at a 10 percent increase there.” There are significant increases in general surgery patient and obstetrics cases, he said, both in comparison to the same period in 2017 and the 2018 budget.

Outpatient revenue also is beating budget targets. “Much of that is attributed to surgical cases, which increases pharmacy and lab services.” The revenue at Samaritan Clinic was about 9.5 percent over the budget target, which is a sign of more doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners at the clinic, Town said.

But a busier hospital has more expenses, which were about 3.3 percent above the budget target, Town said. Salary and benefits expenses were higher than projected. “That increase is attributed to our temporary manpower, and most of that is our nursing. In comparison to where we were last year, we’re seeing a lot more need for temporary nurses. Keep in mind, too, our volumes are up as well. Obviously, there's more need for labor to support the services.”

Physician fees were a little bit lower than budget projections, but are over budget for the year. Town said that was driven by the need for a temporary physicians, one in the emergency room, one in podiatry. Hospital officials are interviewing a candidate for the permanent job in the emergency room, he said.

But the increase in revenue is higher than the increase in expenses, he said.

Bad debt and charity care was $368,154, substantially lower than the budget projections. Town said the hospital was on track to provide about $4.5 million in “uncompensated care” for 2018.

Visits to the emergency room are below the budget projection, but visits to the urgent care facility at Samaritan Clinic are higher than the budget target. “But we don’t think that’s the whole answer of why we’re seeing that decrease.”

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.