Reviews planned for hospitals in Putnam, Ray and Pemiscot counties
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (September 26, 2016) Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway has announced a series of audits of county hospitals, including Putnam County Memorial Hospital, Ray County Memorial Hospital, and Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital. These rural health care audits will focus on financial and operating best practices for these acute care facilities that are critical to individuals who live and work in the surrounding communities.
“Missourians living in rural communities often depend on their county hospitals to provide emergency treatment and, at times, life-saving support,” Auditor Galloway said. “In some parts of the state, a county hospital might be the only place in the county that offers emergency medical treatment, with the next closest facilities being an hour or more away. These facilities are critical to the communities they serve, but they often face severe challenges associated with staffing and funding needs.”
The goal of the reviews of these acute care hospitals is to identify key factors impacting facility finances and offer solutions designed to improve business operations and bolster fiscal solvency.
The audit of Putnam County Rural Hospital in Unionville is underway and was initiated after auditors identified concerns related to hospital finances and operations during a regularly scheduled audit of Putnam County. Reviews of finances and operations at Ray County Memorial Hospital in Richmond and Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital in Hayti will begin at a later date.
