Erlanger begins fiscal year in the red

After losing millions last year, Erlanger Health System began their fiscal year in the red.

The hospital chalked up nearly $1.8 million in losses in July, with admissions and surgeries below budget.

The hospital’s finance committee and board will not hold their August meetings this week because they had no business to conduct, but the hospital released its July financial numbers late Monday evening.

The hospital had numbers below budget and below July 2011 in most categories, including outpatient visits, emergency room visits, and helicopter transport patients, according to their financial report.

Costs per admission were above budget and net patient revenue was below budget, the report shows.

The hospital did see an increase in its commercial use, which is privately insured patients.

The hospital had losses almost every month last year. Final financial numbers for the fiscal year that ended June 30 will not be released until September. Through the end of May, the hospital had lost about $15 million.

In an internal memo to employees today, interim CEO Charlesetta Woodard-Thompson acknowledged the losses, but said the hospital has made significant improvements.

“Based on current reports and upward trends, I have every reason to believe Erlanger is making even greater strides and look forward to reporting our August numbers,” she wrote in the memo.