Posted on 04/12/2009 6:22:35 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
The problems facing Spokane's Shriners Hospital for Children are daunting: too few patients, high costs, falling donations.
It's a troublesome scenario that has put the hospital on the short list for closure as its parent organization staggers from massive investment losses that threaten to wipe out one of the best-known philanthropic organizations of the past century.
"Either we close six hospitals now, or we might have to close all 22 in a matter of five to six years," national Shriners board Chairman Ralph Semb said last week.
"Our entire system is at stake. There's no easy fix," he said.
The Shriners endowment — built from decades of donations, bequests and fundraisers — has fallen to about $5 billion from $8.5 billion within the past year because of the stock market collapse and a drop in new cash gifts.
Furthermore, the 22 Shriners hospitals had to draw $350 million from that endowment to balance their budgets, Semb said.
Spokane's hospital employs 170 people and has an annual operating budget of about $17 million — all to treat about 8,000 children a year. On average, only six of the hospital's 30 patient beds are filled each day.
Such underuse has been problematic for decades, said Ken Boni, a North Idaho Shriner and chairman of the local hospital's board of governors.
Semb said if the Spokane hospital's patient count were 50 percent higher — still less than half-full — it wouldn't be on the closure list.
But underutilization is not a problem only in Spokane. As of last week, there were about 375 patients at all Shriners hospitals. Combined, the hospitals have about 1,100 beds.
Still, supporters believe the hospital serves a critical purpose. There are ways to boost patient numbers, they say.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Combine socialized medicine bad brew being cooked up by Obama with reduced access....see the future.
Honestly, they could solve the empty bed problem by advertising - REAL free care, by people who actually care.
There aren’t enough sick children who need free medical services?
But we have two type 1 diabetic children.
Blue Shield premiums, about $800/month. Catastrophic care coverage, $2,500/person, $5000/family.
Bottom line is we're paying about $15,000 a year in medical related expenses, between doctor visits, lab work, insurance premiums, and RX supplies.
I think the Shriner’s self support the hospital. They sell buttons to lodge members, and they sell a bunch of them. They are good men.
I’ve always remembered that the San Francisco bay area Shriners Hospital changed my sisters life for the better.
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