West Tennessee Healthcare discusses revenue decline

JACKSON, Tenn. — The West Tennessee Healthcare board approved several resolutions during their April meeting.

The first resolution gives the board access to have a meeting each month.

“It allows this board to meet virtually, during this time of the COVID pandemic,” said West Tennessee Healthcare President James Ross.

Another resolution included pandemic preparation and response needs.

“Is for the board to authorize up to $3 million in capital spending on COVID related capital,” said West Tennessee Healthcare Financial Officer Jeff Blankenship.

The board also approved the purchase of one piece of equipment: A nursing workflow software and linear accelerator.

“This is a resolution for a ratification of a purchase for a sponge counter system,” said Deann Thelen, with West Tennessee Healthcare.

This is costing West Tennessee Healthcare millions of dollars, along with a $18 million revenue decline in March.

“As of today, we still see continued, significant suppression of volume and revenue even more so than in April, I mean March, as you saw a second ago,” Blankenship said.

To offset this decline, the organization is relying on federal and state relief initiatives, cost reduction measures and reoffering surgical procedures.

“We will be starting to reintroduce elective and the non-essential procedures and surgeries that we have discontinued,” Thelen said.

These procedures will be offered at a 50 percent volume starting Monday, May 4.

West Tennessee Healthcare board also donated two properties to local schools.

A clinic located on East Main Street in Bradford will be given to Bradford Special School District to be used for health classes or health care offices.

They also donated land to Dyersburg State Community College to be used for student housing. It is located on Parr Avenue in Dyersburg.

West Tennessee Healthcare officials say they are looking at budget results for April, but they have not been finalized yet.