In 2007,
Guilford Child Health, Inc.,
experienced 47,240 patient visits, 6,580 visits more than 2006, and
the highest number of visits since the practice was formed. This
represents a 16 percent increase in the number of patient visits over
the previous year.
While the practice remained busy, patient satisfaction remained
high, at the 90
percentile. An increasing challenge, which is being addressed
through grant applications, is the need for additional, certified
medical interpreters, particularly those speaking Spanish. With
additional interpreter services,
GCH
provider staff will be able to increase the level of physician/family interaction and the family’s comprehension regarding
follow-up. This will also increase the fluidity of maintaining the
appointment schedule, with the possibility of increasing the number
of patients cared for each day.
In the area of revenue and reimbursement, the 2007 average revenue
per visit was $142, remaining constant with that of 2007. Cost per
patient visit decreased by 3 percent to $144.12, compared to $148.48
in 2006. The net reimbursement per patient visit for the 12-month
period ending June 30, 2007, was $92.16 up from $89.69 in June 2006.
Support from Guilford County, North Carolina, is crucial to the
organization’s ability to provide accessible, affordable and quality
primary healthcare to the youth of Guilford County. Although the
amount of funding (base grant) from the county increased by 4
percent, the percentage of county support per patient visit
decreased by 11 percent. This means that
GCH
is faced with creating additional revenue sources to sustain its
program and growing uninsured population. The table
GCH Productivity
displays the county’s support as a percent of total costs (less
funding for social work program).
FY 2007 continued to be a challenging year for the organization.
Although visits increased by 16% (47,240 FY 07 vs. 40,660 FY 06),
the organization’s financial bottom line was impacted by escalating
cost, flat reimbursement from Medicaid and other insurers.
Additionally, the organization continued to be the primary recipient
of patients without insurance and who required additional support
services including interpretation, counseling and other enabling
services. More than 60% of the patients seen at
GCH
have a chronic illness. Another 40%-50% of the patients speak a
primary language other than English. For the year, the organization
experienced a loss of $267,000. The demographics of the
organization’s patient base continued a shift more towards
uninsured. In 1998, the percent of patients with Medicaid coverage
was 96%. Today, this indicator has declined to 86%.
Each year, Guilford Child Health faces growth in demand for care, yet diminishing revenue. We hope that you will consider one of the ways to contribute to our challenge of providing quality, comprehensive healthcare for all children within the county, either through:
