Hospital profits up in cities, down in many rural areas

Brendan Riley

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999 | 10:24 a.m.

CARSON CITY - Nevada's biggest hospitals, located in the Las Vegas and Reno areas, made profits last fiscal year. But a new report shows several rural hospitals lost money.

The report Tuesday from the state Health Care Financial Analysis Unit shows the "Big Six" hospitals in Reno and Las Vegas had a combined $48.9 million operating profit. Small urban hospitals made $17.4 million, and rural hospitals had an overall loss of $3.1 million.

Combining those three figures produces a statewide net operating revenue of just over $63 million. That's up 14.7 percent from $55.1 million statewide in fiscal 1998.

The most profitable hospital in the state last year was Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, accounting for $23.1 million of the total for "Big Six" hospitals. Valley also reported fiscal 1999 revenues per admitted patient of $7,548 and profits per admission of $1,028.

Other big hospitals in southern Nevada, in order of profits:

In northern Nevada, Washoe Medical Center in Reno topped the list with net income of $3.9 million, $7,747 in revenues per admission and a per-admission profit of $158.

Saint Mary's in Reno made $3.6 million in net income, had revenues per admission of $7,917 and had a per-admission profit of $209.

The net operating results for Nevada's small urban and rural hospitals includes: