Tuolumne County supervisors today approved contracts with local surgeons to work at the county-run hospital in Sonora. Tuolumne General Hospital Administrator Barry Woerman tried to put a figure on the savings for the county.

“If the number of patients increases it´ll be hard to make an estimate,” Woerman said. “But I would guess that the savings would be at least $100,000 to $150,000 annually.”

Woerman said by contracting on a per fee basis with local doctors, the county would not have to pay other hidden costs.

“You’re not only paying the cost for the transportation of the surgeon, you also have to pay their local housing and malpractice insurance, and you have to pay a fee for the company that provides them,” Woerman said.

The contracts are part of an overall plan to put Tuolumne General on better financial footing.

Over the past six years, TGH has borrowed $6 million from the county and used $11 million from the county general fund.