Athens Regional Looks To Cut Millions

One of the bigger hospitals in the state needs to cut millions of dollars from its budget in order to stay afloat. The financial struggles of Athens Regional Medical Center are much like other health care facilities across Georgia trying to hang-on.

Officials with Athens Regional are considering all options in trying to reduce costs, but yet spur new revenue. The Athens Banner-Herald says the hospital needs to cut $14-million from its budget, and layoffs may have to be part of the plan. The hospital employs 2,500 people full-time, with another 500 part-time.

The weak economy has affected hospitals and health care centers everywhere in Georgia, whether in large urban, or small rural areas.

Kevin Bloye is with the Georgia Hospital Association, which represents 170 hospitals and health care systems:

"We did a survey among our membership the first part of the year and we found three out of four hospitals in the state are experiencing pretty severe increases in bad debt and charity care since October of '08."

A spike in un-insured patients, and dramatic fall in money-generators like elective procedures are part of the equation.

Bloye says federal stimulus dollars in the state budget propping-up Medicaid is helping.

Americus: Sumter Hospital to get almost $10 M

Vehicle flipped over by tornado in Sumter Regional
Hospital's parking lot. (Photo: Dave Bender)

FEMA will provide Sumter Hospital in Americus over nine-million-dollars in funding for temporary facilities. Both the hospital and the town sustained severe damage from a lethal twister on March 1st.

The funds are part of two projects to construct temporary facilities, known as COGIM units, until the main hospital is rebuilt.

Ambulance off-loads patient at hospital's makeshift
tent-triage area. (Photo: Dave Bender)

One project is for the structure's outer shell, and will cost just over $2 million dollars. The second, which will kit out the facility's interior, will run to almost seven-and-a-half-million dollars. The say the total bill for the renovation will cost nearly $12.5 million dollars.

Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson announced the step on Monday.
Both termed the cash influx as vital, and praised the hospital and the community's ability to cope with hardships in the tornado's wake.

FEMA will distribute the money to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, who will in turn disburse the funds to cover the project's expenses.