Thursday, NOVEMBER 6, 2025 |
Photo – MHCC – Bigfoot99 file photo
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County administrators report continued financial improvements.
Rural hospitals across the country are struggling with low insurance reimbursements, limited patient volume, and challenges in recruiting providers and specialists. Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is no exception.
After years of declining revenue and a revolving door of CEOs, Memorial Hospital is showing signs of recovery. Speaking at Tuesday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, MHCC Chief Financial Officer Joy Coulston reported that as of September, the Rawlins medical facility was in the black.
The previous month, August, CFO Coulston reported that Memorial Hospital lost $95,000 in revenue.
Continuing her financial report, Coulston said 43 patients stayed at Memorial Hospital in September, including 9 in intensive care and 7 in swing beds, which allow community members to recover locally after undergoing medical procedures elsewhere.
During that same timeframe, Coulston said the hospital received 377 emergency department visits, 119 ambulance calls, and performed 58 operations. The Chief Financial Officer said the Memorial Hospital clinic is also seeing increased numbers of patients.
Coulston reported that the average daily census, or the number of patients staying in the hospital at a given time, decreased to 3.6 in September. The Chief Financial Officer did not provide August’s census.
Despite the lower patient numbers, Coulston said Memorial Hospital continues to see increasing revenue, which is being used to pay down outstanding debts.
Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer Kerry Ashment said that since his arrival in March, the hospital has significantly increased its cash on hand, or funds available for immediate use. CEO Ashment added that the hospital can cover more than a month’s worth of payroll in its current financial condition.
Commissioner Sue Jones asked if hospital administrators had completed the most recent cost report, which determines the amount of Medicare reimbursement the facility receives. Chief Financial Officer Joy Coulston said both the cost report and the state-mandated audit were nearly complete, with hospital staff having already provided both entities with the necessary documentation.
Following the financial report, Commissioner John Johnson said Memorial Hospital of Carbon County appears to be on the right track.
