Economic Impact

As many of you know, and if you go on our website, you’ll know even more, and Stephanie Miller can tell you about it as well, but the tagline of Columbus Regional is “More Than a Hospital.” We truly are that. We are a continuum of healthcare services with the core being a 154-bed community hospital. It’s not just the hospital. We have primary care and specialty care clinics. We have urgent care. We have an outstanding wound care program. We have outpatient diagnostics and so much more. And while I’m celebrating my first year as the CEO of the hospital, I wanted to share with you some key statistics which may surprise you.

In 2015, at Columbus Regional, we had 6,200 admissions, almost 30,000 ED visits and, if you know anything about a hospital, the ED [Emergency Department] really has become the front door of the hospital, in addition to primary care. We have almost 6,000 surgical cases, 110,000 outpatient visits and 400 deliveries. We had almost $250 million in gross charges with an operating margin of $5.2 million. I want to stop there because that’s so important. There aren’t many hospitals in rural communities that are generating the kind of bottom-line our hospital is, or the kind of operating margin. That’s after all of our expenses.

The important thing for you to know about that, is that $5.2 million is reinvested back into our hospital and into the needs of our community. We are a not-for-profit organization. We don’t pay taxes, but I believe in many respects we give back, time and time. I think that’s an important factor for you to remember. We have almost 600 employees with a $40 million payroll. Again, that’s important, and I’ve shared that with other community organizations. The importance of that is almost 80 percent of our employees live in Columbus County.

While we are the second largest employer, second to the county and state, I would dare say that there aren’t many organizations that have that kind of percentage of their employees that live and work in the same community. We really are a key part of the economic engine of the community.

Summary

After a brief introduction, Carla Hollis, CEO, dives into some key statistics illuminating important fiscal milestones met within the past year:

• CRHS had $250 million in gross charges, with an operating margin of $5.2 million, after all expenses.
• That $5.2 million is reinvested back into the hospital, being that CRHS is a not-for-profit organization.

She also shared some significant numbers in terms of patient and employee statistics for 2015, helping to drive the economic impact that CRHS has on the community, especially in terms of employment.

• 6,200 admissions within the past year, including approximately 30,000 emergency visits
• 6,000 surgical cases; 110,000 outpatient visits; 400 deliveries.
• CRHS employs almost 600 employees, with a $40 million payroll.
• Almost 80 percent of all employees are local to Columbus County.
• CRHS is the second largest employer in Columbus County.