The July meeting of the Cedartown-Polk County Hospital Authority and Polk Medical Center, Inc., board provided an update on where the hospital’s latest numbers stand during the COVID-19 crisis, an opportunity to talk about the rural hospital tax credit and how a new walking trail around the facility on Highway 278 will give the public a chance to get some exercise while visiting.

The combined boards met during their monthly lunch session on July 28 to discuss several items, but chief among them was hospital performance and updates amid the COVID-19 crisis. Matt Gorman, the Vice President of Corporate and Network Services, reported that Polk Medical Center’s numbers rebounded some in June after decreases were reported in May. That put them slightly off their average growth year over year in some areas, but in most the 2020 fiscal year ended still ahead of the previous.

For instance, a decrease in the number of emergency room visits was noted in the spring months as numbers decreased from 2,140 in February to 1,949 in March and then down to 1,178 in April, but began a rebound in May with 1,481 visits, and was back up to 1,668 visits by June.

That was a decrease year-over-year during those months that impacted the hospital by 3,093 visits in total from FY 2019’s final to FY 2020’s year-end figures. In FY 2019, the hospital reported 27,393 total emergency room visits, compared to the final tally for FY 2020 of 24,300.

“We’ve been averaging in the mid-60s, I think we’re about 65 or so (patients per day),” Gorman said. “That’s about 85% of what we’re used to seeing, which is on average around 72 patients a day, so we’re off just slightly.”

He added that “I think that most health care organizations are seeing a reduction in volume, but it has picked back up recently so that is a positive trend,” he said.

Where numbers remained solidly on average were in the number of people who were treated as either swing bed patients or inpatient at Polk Medical Center, and the number of days each patient stayed in a room at the hospital. The end of the fiscal year saw an increase in the number of swing bed patients at 478 served in total on the year, compared to 466 in FY 2019. The days between the two years – 7,252 this past year versus the 7,465 the year previous – did note a decrease.

Inpatient figures totaled up in 2020 to 931 in total for FY 2020, compared to the 902 people treated in FY 2019. Gorman said that was great work by the teams at Polk Medical Center to keep the facilities running smoothly despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Board members also heard from Polk Medical Center Hospital Administrator Tifani Kinard, who provided a few updates on the Rural Hospital Tax Credit along with the various ways that money has been used. The funds, derived from donations that are tax-deductible on the state level, have been in the past years coming in closer to time for taxes to come due and provide for everything from specialty equipment to the newest addition to the hospital, a walking track.

The money has been set aside for the trail which isn’t yet officially open to the public, but Kinard said it is being used by staff during downtime to allow them some time outdoors and a breath of fresh air after wearing their personal protective gear inside the hospital all day. Board member Dr. Neil Gordon said that it was particularly great to have exercise stations on the walking trail.

“We ordered some very nice benches to go out there for folks to sit on and enjoy the area,” Kinard added. “It is very important for our staff and their resiliency… it is a lot for staff to have to stay in full PPE all day, so to offer the staff that area to be able to go outside and relax and take their mask off and get some air not within six feet of someone else, it is a nice offering for the staff.”

Among other items of note from the session were confirmation of new board member Britt Madden Jr. to both the Hospital Authority and now PMCI boards, and Sondi Vest’s new three year term on the PMCI board as well. Those two were waiting for a formal vote from the Floyd Healthcare Management board before it became official.

Members also discussed a training schedule for the full board, required by state law and ways that it can be accomplished before the end of the calendar year to meet a deadline. They are looking at potential for virtual sessions in order to accommodate those who can’t physically be present for classes.