CORNWALL – The Cornwall Community Hospital has finished its fiscal year again with a tiny surplus – $1,233.
This is the sixth year the hospital has ended the books in the black on a $121 million budget.
The single biggest expense was pay and benefits at roughly $80 million, which increased from approximately $76 million the year before.
CCH received $85.7 million from the Ministry of Health – up from $81 million in 2015-2016.
“Like never before we are constantly challenged to transform how we deliver health care to our community,” CEO Jeanette Despatie told the audience Thursday night.
The aging population and targeted treatment for addiction and mental health services continues to grow, Despatie said.
Despatie admitted it was a challenging year in the final months (the fiscal year ends March 31) with bringing an e-records system online and overcrowding in the hospital, which reared its head after Christmas.
Foundation raises $1.4 million
Speaking for the Cornwall Hospital Foundation, Executive Director Amy Gillespie announced the foundation has raised $700,000 to date of the $1.2 million needed for the Addictions and Mental Health Center.
There was a total of $1.4 million raised.
The foundation paid out the first $300,000 installment for the mental health center (there was also a $140,000 technology donation from a local donor), made the final $250,000 payment for the MRI and doled out $226,000 for hospital equipment urgent needs.
Gillespie says they are ending their fall event, Denim & Diamonds, and it will be replaced with another fundraiser.