Pullman Hospital Plans Cuts, Expansion

Thu., April 6, 2000

Pullman Memo rial Hospital officials released a report Wednesday recommending a three-year expansion plan.

If approved by the hospital’s board of commissioners, the plan would involve $675,000 in cutbacks (including 6.8 full-time positions), the passage of a $350,000 maintenance and operations levy, and expanded clinical services in cardiology, oncology and pulmonology. Hospital officials estimate expanded services in those three areas would attract $421,186 in additional revenue.

The report also suggests several regional options, including affiliating with Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax, building a surgery center with physicians and Moscow’s Gritman Medical Center, joint governance with Gritman or even selling Pullman Memorial to Gritman. Pullman’s hospital is open to all of those options, CEO Scott Adams said, but the willingness of other parties is crucial.

Other possible options include affiliating with Spokane medical groups, limiting service, allowing an outside company to manage or buy the hospital, or closing it down.

The report comes only months after merger talks between Moscow and Pullman hospitals failed after Gritman Medical Center officials rejected an expensive plan to build a new hospital between the two cities.

In addition, Pullman Memorial is losing two key surgeons and is struggling financially - it barely broke even last year. The hospital must either expand or reduce services for optimal staffing efficiency, said Adams, who plans to request the board take action by May.

“Because of tough financial circumstances … we are asking them to move quickly.”

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