SENECA — The Oconee Medical Center Foundation is pressing on with plans to develop the third and final phase of the organization’s hospice house.

OMC Board members concurred Monday that the Foundation should spend $11,000 to secure schematic drawings and architects renderings of the proposed five-room expansion.

Foundation Director Debbie Dubose told board members that $1 million has been raised toward an anticipated cost of $2.5 million for the final phase of Cottingham House. She said the Foundation board felt having plans to show would enhance fund-raising efforts.

Debose said the hospice facility is currently housing an average of 10 people per day and that there have been as many as 13 people in the 15-room facility. Phases one and two of Cottingham House were completed within the past two years.

“We feel it’s going to take us some time to raise the additional funds so we want to get started,” Dubose said.

Patient Tower Move

Vice President of Nursing Pat Smith told board members that Saturday’s patient move went smoothly and thanked board members for their assistance. She said the census was a bit higher than had been planned for and 82 patients were moved in under six hours.

“We’re having a few work flow issues,” she told the board, “but it’s no different than when you move into a new house and aren’t quite sure where all the dishes are.”

OMC President Jeanne Ward complimented Smith and all those involved in the move and Board President Dr. Bill Howiler said, “From the patients to the families to the employees, there were smiles everywhere.”

Smith also reported that the NewLife Center for Joint Health, a new joint replacement and rehabilitation initiative, would have a soft launch on the fourth floor of the new tower on July 27. Eventually, the Center will occupy much of the second floor of the former hospital building.

Finances Holding

Vice President of Finance Greg Scarbrough reported that the hospital fell just short of its budgeted goals in May, recording net operating income of $61,416, compared to a budgeted goal of $141,572.

The short fall resulted primarily from higher salaries associated with opening the new patient tower, as well as a $200,000 overage in bad debts, reflecting current economic conditions. Those overages were offset by the fact that the hospital had expected to begin depreciating the new tower in May but that will not show up on financial reports until June. The result was a $200,000 savings.

For the year, OMC has recorded revenues over expenses of $3.2 million; just short of the $3.34 million budgeted. Scarbrough said the operating margin is 2.23 percent.