Another good year for El Camino Hospital

El Camino Hospital’s financial officials anticipate the local healthcare organization will rake in about $78 million in profits over the next fiscal year, according to the new hospital budget which was approved by the board of directors last week.

The budget, approved by the ECH board at its June 12 meeting, anticipates the hospital will bring in around $717.5 million in net revenue and will spend about $664.4 million on operational costs, such as employee salaries, benefits, supplies and equipment. That leaves the hospital with approximately $53 million in net operational income. After factoring in $25 million in non-operational income, such as money earned on investments, officials anticipate the entire organization will make $78 million in net income.

But comparing the last few years’ income projections with the actual income the hospital generated, it is likely that El Camino Hospital will bring in far more than currently anticipated.

In 2012, the hospital made more than $60 million in net income — about $25 million more than it had forecast in the same year’s budget. And looking at the 2013 numbers through April, ECH as a whole has already made $84.6 million in profits — nearly $30 million more than the $55.9 million that was projected one year ago.

In an email, the hospital’s chief financial officer, Michael King, said the hospital’s management team is currently planning to use ECH’s profits to take care of “significant capital needs” and to continue to pursue the organization’s “triple aim” initiative — a multi-pronged plan intended to increase quality of care, service and affordability at the hospital.

Also, according to a presentation given to the board on the fiscal year 2014 budget, the hospital anticipates hiring new staff along with a significant increase in costs associated with its employee health care plans.