Boulder City Hospital searching for a lifeline

By Bill Erin

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | 4:51 p.m.

Lost in the debates about Boulder City problems during the primary elections was the Boulder City Hospital. This was to be expected, because it is not a city government problem. The hospital is an independent, nonprofit organization run by a foundation and a board of local people.

But while it is not a city government problem, it is a city problem. How much of a problem depends on your viewpoint as was shown recently when voters overwhelmingly defeated an attempt to get some tax help for the financially struggling organization.

I visited the current hospital administrator, Tom Maher.

"How is the hospital doing?" I asked.

"Not well," he answered. "In the first quarter of this year, compared to the first quarter of last year, we are down 20 percent. For the seven consecutive months before that, we suffered losses equivalent to a 15 percent drop. We have had to lay off 19 people, and we have cut a million dollars from our operating budget."

Maher explained that the hospital's heaviest losses were in the emergency room department, a primary source of income for the hospital. He blamed the economy for this, pointing out that people had cut down on more discretionary visits to the emergency room, no longer having the disposable income they once had.

Now the administrators are vitally concerned about the possibility of the state Legislature cutting Medicaid, the other vital source of income for the hospital, with its long-term care facilities.

During the campaign to establish a tax district, Maher had said that without help, the hospital would have to close within four years. I asked him if that still held true.

"Not that long with the current losses," he said. "Our reserves are down to about one year."

He explained that the hospital has changed JoAnn Highsmith's duties to that of fund development manager. She will be trying to generate volunteer donations from residents and looking into available grants.

Asked if he thought the hospital would make another run at a tax district, Maher couldn't comment either way. He said the board has it on the table, but it depends on current developments and how their efforts work out.

So if Highsmith comes knocking at your door, show the spirit of those early BCers who saved a hospital for you. Open your purse strings to help save this hospital for your children and those who come behind you.

Bill Erin is a Boulder City News columnist.