Memorial Hospital and Manor are continuing to find ways to be paid for the services they render.

CEO Billy Walker and CFO Bill Huling have initiated talks with local banks with regard to the banks offering loan programs for patients prior to undergoing procedures, thereby guaranteeing the hospital would be paid upfront.

This would apply to persons with health insurance coverage, but who also have large deductibles. It would also be for self-pays who may have no insurance, or simply do not have the funds to pay out all at once.

Walker said they put the proposal out to all of the banks and have met with two of them who showed strong interest in the plan. The thought is that patients who have strong relations with a bank are more likely to take and pay off the loan.

It is the hope that this program will come on line in February, giving patients a choice in which bank to use.

Financial problems continue to mount at the hospital. Current president and former treasurer Glennie Bench said she had hoped the issues would have improved quicker following the steps that have been taken this year; but she admits success is slower in coming than they had thought. She expressed optimism that the plans and changes implemented will work with time.

The concern comes as the key indicators year-to-date as of December, 2015 show a net income loss of $2,401.454, as opposed to a loss of $988,373 for last year-to-date. That is a variance of $1,413,081, or 142.97 percent more than last year.

Other information presented at the Tuesday meeting was that installation of the new CT scanner is underway and should take two weeks to complete.

Walker reported that the Celebrity Quail Hunt proceeds that were donated to the Hospital Foundation will be used to update the nurses’ stations in the medical surgical and same day surgery departments. It is expected those updates will be completed in March.

Hospital Authorities are requesting proposals as they continue to work toward a consolidation of employee health plans with the City of Bainbridge and Decatur County.

Walker also reported there is ongoing recruitment of new physicians, as two were interviewed recently and additional ones will come in the next couple of weeks.

Rakeem Screen, a CNA who has worked in the Manor since July, 2015, received the Employee of the Month award. He was nominated by several families of Manor residents for his caring ways.