Crawford Memorial Hospital’s emergency department is about to undergo a major change, but while many of the physicians providing care will be different, the other staff will be the same familiar faces.

Starting Feb. 1, emergency services at CMH will be provided by Western Healthcare, taking over from Carle Foundation Hospital. Carle has provided emergency department physicians here from several years.

“This is a good thing for our community,” CMH Chief Executive Officer Doug Florkowski said during a hospital board meeting Wednesday.

While some of the doctors who have worked in the department in past years will still be around, Western will bring in a new stable of physicians, Florkowski explained.

On the other hand, the nurses and other staff members, who unlike the physicians are CMH employees, will be the same.

One difference is Western plans to rotate fewer physicians through the local department. While Carle has been bringing about 27 doctors, Western will use eight, with five providing services most of the time. Florkowski said this will boost continuity of care.

Florkowski added CMH appreciates everything Carle has done for it over the years.

Board members heard other positive news during the meeting. For example, Grunloh Construction has started renovations in the western part of the former Magnolia Center. It is being converted into offices and should be completed in about two months.

The hospital continues to do well financially. Chief Financial Officer Al White said that while as many as two-thirds of the country's hospitals are struggling, CMH continues to post strong revenues.

“We have a very strong bottom line,” he said.

CMH had $1.7 million in revenues in December, 14 percent better than expected. January income is not as high, but will still be over budget, White said.

Net year-to-date revenues are $3.4 million, compared to a budgeted $1.554 million. This has been buoyed by a $400,000 federal rural health care and an increase in Medicaid payments to rural hospitals.

Expenses, meanwhile, are below budget. White credits departments with doing a good job holding the line on costs.

Because CMH has received federal dollars as part of the pandemic recovery program, it had to have a special audit performed on how it has used that money. The board approved the “clean” report, indicating the hospital used the funds appropriately.

White added work is starting on the fiscal 2024 budget. A tentative version should be delivered to the board at the March meeting and a vote on its final form is planned for April.

The financial news was met with approval. “An excellent way to start the new year,” board Chair Wanda James said.

James also expressed optimism for the rest of 2023. She pointed out CMH will conduct its first strategic planning session since the start of the pandemic next month. And later this year, board members will be able to attend in person a hospital trustee conference hosted by QHR Health for the first time in years. Both events are important for CMH’s continued growth.

In other business, the board approved the annual Nursing Care Committee Report and various policy, procedure and manual updates.