Tuolumne General Hospital Deficit Less Than First Reported

The County Board of Supervisors discussed the Third Quarter Budget for Tuolumne General Hospital Tuesday.

The hospital´s original reported deficit was over a million dollars, but when expense reductions and increases in revenue are factored in, the hospital is 153-thousand dollars in the red.

In the short term, officials will look to an internal loan, possibly borrowing money from the Tobacco Securitization trust fund.

But TGH Administrator Barry Woerman told the board that expanded hours for dental programs and services would be part of a long term solution.

“We are looking to expand into the early evening four days a week. We´re expanding on weekends… Any utilization of dentist hours beyond 40 hours a week is an expansion of services.”

And that means the state will reimburse the County for that money.

Debate on temporarily closing the Adult Day Health Care Center in Groveland was delayed until after a hearing next month.