WCH to Restart Outpatient Services This Week

By Travis Volz

Washington County Hospital, like most medical facilities, has had to weather the storm during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the worst of the storm may have passed.

WCH President Brian Monsma said that though the WCH has continued providing essential services in March and April, the hospital’s financials took a hit over the last two months with the cancellation of elective surgeries.

“About 85 percent of our revenue comes from outpatient services, so the empty parking lot has meant a lot of lost revenue,” Monsma said.

With restrictions loosening, Monsma says that the hospital is due to start ramping up those services again this week.

The main challenge for the hospital is implementing the proper testing protocols. “We have to test people for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the surgery, and right now it is taking longer than that to get results back,” he explained.

That problem should be addressed as the testing capacity statewide increases, as testing had been focused on hotspots.

Read the full article in this week’s issue.