Cantonal Hospital breaks even financially

The chairman of the board of the Cantonal Hospital, Walter Suter, was pleased to be able to record a surplus of CHF 378,706 for the year 2017 earlier this week, even though this is much lower than the CHF 1.19 million recorded in the previous year.

As to why this figure was so much lower, down by 62.2 per cent in fact, director Matthias Winistörfer went on to explain that the hospital had faced a number of challenges over the course of 2017. For example, the number of in-patients had decreased. This was due in no small way to the fact that three orthopaedic surgeons had left, and it was patients such as theirs who usually spent between seven and eight days in hospital, whereas those having had operations of different types only occupied a hospital bed for between three and four days. This decrease in the number of in-patients also led to revenue falling by CHF 3.2 million to CHF 58.6 million. The level of bed occupancy fell to 86.7 per cent, too, when compared with the 92.6 per cent level in 2016. What should be noted here is that there are now “only” 186 beds, four fewer than the previous year, as a result of the current “out-patient before in-patient” policy.   

On the other hand, income from out-patient care rose by just under CHF 5 million to CHF 50.7 million.
Winistörfer said he was basically pleased with the financial results, the hospital at least able to break even. He pointed out that the increased number of patients in November and December suffering from “flu” had also helped boost finances. For his part, Suter said that, as to this current year, income would be down by CHF 2.5 million, as a result of policy from Bern and more procedures to be carried out on an out-patient basis, as per cantonal government instruction.

When it came to neonatology, Suter explained that plans for such a department were currently on hold, though care of the new-born sick could still be guaranteed, despite 13 paediatricians having withdrawn from a cooperation contract with the hospital. “Premature or sick new-born babies will be taken by specialist ambulance to the children’s department of the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital or to the Hospital for Sick Children in Zurich. Furthermore, since the beginning of this year, a team of paediatricians and neonatology specialists has been on standby 24 hours a day,” he added reassuringly.