Southwest Health System leaders highlighted expanded medical care, investments in employees, and a unified patient records system during the organization’s annual community picnic in Cortez on May 13. The event, held during Hospital Week celebrations, served a free lunch to employees and supporters while unveiling aspects of last year’s annual report.
According to the unaudited annual report, Southwest Health received about $72.9 million in patient revenue, with additional income from the sales tax, grants, and nonoperating revenue bringing the total to about $86.3 million. The hospital spent about $80.5 million operating the system, with the largest expense being employee pay and benefits at nearly $45 million. Chief Financial Officer Adam Conley noted that the initial fiscal report was overly conservative, while the official audit reflects a more accurate 3.3% operating margin. “Most hospitals are not posting at a 3% margin, so we continue to perform against our competitors,” Conley said.
The hospital served nearly 40,000 primary care visits and 14,067 emergency care visits. Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Gero highlighted the integration of outpatient and new medical records to a single electronic platform as “a huge celebration” that unifies the system. The annual report highlighted five-star ratings for overall hospital cleanliness and nursing communication from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The birthing center received a “birthing friendly” designation following 2024 work to improve maternal safety, risk, and postpartum services. Hospital leadership emphasized 2025 as a fiscally solid year, though CEO Joe Theine had earlier announced potential shake-ups due to a likely lapse in federal funding from House Resolution 1 policy changes. Theine said the hospital is exploring whether additional services could be expanded in areas where revenue exceeds costs.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-health-in-cortez-spotlights-fiscal-report-during-community-picnic/