Progress continues at Tulare Local Healthcare District

The Tulare Local Health Care District (TLHCD) appears to have made astonishing progress since re-opening its hospital late last year under the auspices of Adventist Health, say the facts that emerged at its most recent regular board meeting on July 24.

While the mid-July census hovered at just under 10, according to Randy Dodd, Adventist Health’s President of Tulare Regional Medical Center (TRMC), the emergency room has continued to see an average of roughly 77 patients per day.

Scheduled to open August 19 is the hospital’s new obstetrics department.

Financially speaking, TLCHD appears to be digging itself out of the hole it was left in when, under closure, the hospital transitioned from management by Healthcare Conglomerate Associates to that of Adventist Health.

Through bankruptcy proceedings, TLHCD has nearly halved the sum of its accounts payable to approximately $16 million.

Still pending are the revenue streams TRMC is due to receive when Medicare and Medical payments can be cleared.

According to Dan Heckathorne, interim TLHCD CFO, the district so far has accepted $5.8 million in a line of credit extended by the City of Tulare. Thus far, the interest rate on this loan amounts to $264 thousand annually. Payments are broken down into two $136-thousand checks, one issued in January and the other in July.

TLHCD’s most recent interest installment was paid to the city on July 26.

Heckathorne said it was important that TLHCD honor this commitment and that the district has striven to do so.