Big Government Hospitals Rule

Call it one of the best kept health care secrets in South Florida.
Fueled by mushrooming millions of tax dollars, Big Government hospital care rules in Broward County.
During the past ten years, government-run hospital mega-systems have stomped their private health care competition in South Florida’s second largest county.


Between 1996 and 2006, “bottom line” profits:
- Soared 255% at Broward’s 9 tax-funded government hospitals – climbing from $35.5 million to $125.8 million.
- Sank (170%) at Broward’s 8 private hospitals.- plummeting from a combined surplus of
$53.4 million to a combined loss of $37.4 million.


Again, during the same ten year period, Broward’s government-run
hospitals slammed the county’s private hospitals in gaining control of the county’s inpatient “market share.”
Between 1996 and 2006, the average daily inpatient census:
- Climbed 47% at Broward’s tax-funded hospitals – for an average daily increase of 625
inpatients.
- Declined 9% at Broward’s private hospitals – for an average daily decrease of 121 inpatients.
During the same ten-year period, Broward General’s population
increased by 26%


From a public policy standpoint, the trends in south Broward County are even more startling.
Operating as Memorial Healthcare, the tax-funded South Broward Hospital District has a monopoly in providing patient care to residents living in the southern region’s rapidly growing communities.
In 1996, the South District operated three hospitals in competition with one private hospital. In 2006, the South District purchased its sole competition for $32 million – giving the system a total of five hospitals operating as a health care monopoly.


Recently re-named Broward Health, the North Broward Hospital District’s four hospitals have also recorded stunning gains in their battle with the region’s 8 private hospitals in the county’s northern region.
This can be seen by the following data reflecting bottom line profits and average daily inpatients for hospitals in the North District’s market area:

North Broward District Hospitals – Tax Supported
…………………………1996…………….2006
Broward General……...$13,450,087…...$34,640,308
Avg. Daily Patients……..371……………...443
Coral Springs………….$7,675,993…….$13,695,581
Avg. Daily Patients……..88.5……………..129.6
Imperial Point………….$1,030,274…….$11,040,296
Avg. Daily Patients……..94……………….114.9
North Broward…………$2,952,132…….$19,288,270
Avg. Daily Patients……..213.5……………239.8
TOTAL………………….$25,108,486…..$78.664,455
Avg. Daily Patients……..767……………..927

Private Hospitals
Cleveland Clinic………. $2,290,177……$3,948,358
Avg. Daily Patients……...72………………25.6
Florida Medical………...$5,417,132……($5,199,275)
Avg. Daily Patients……..195……………..202.5
Florida Medical South..($2,318,323)…....Closed
Avg. Daily Patients……...35……………...0
Holy Cross……………..$17,865,158….($234,473)
Avg. Daily Patients...........258……………260.3
North Ridge……………$7,943,757…....($37,591,073)
Avg. Daily Patients……..138…………….87.6
Northwest……………....$3,758,037…....($6,270,897)
Avg. Daily Patients……..78……………...138
Plantation………………$104,985……...($10,799,675)
Avg. Daily Patients……..117…………….134.8
Pompano Beach……...($4,459,821)…....Closed
Avg. Daily Patients……..51……………....0
University………………$16,975,492…..$3,310,538
Avg. Daily Patients……..160…………….142.8
Westside………………$3,181,485…….$14,454,092
Avg. Daily Patients……..104……………..176.5
TOTAL…………………$50,758,079…..($38,382,410)
Avg. Daily Patients……..1,208…………...1,168


Below are similar ten-year trends for the South Broward Hospital Districts market area.

South Broward Hospital District – Tax Supported
...........................................1996................. 2006
Memorial Regional..........$1,403,232.......$24,086,242
Avg. Daily Patients............424....................574
Memorial Miramar...........Not Built............($6,923,113)
Avg. Daily Patients...........0..........................63.6
Memorial Pembroke.......$176,486..........($1,180,033)
Avg. Daily Patients............59......................89.4
Memorial South**.......................................($10,656,868)
Avg. Daily Patients......................................45.5
Memorial West.................$9,124,183.......$41,835.335
Avg. Daily Patients.............85......................256
TOTAL...............................$10,703,901....$47,161,563
Avg. Daily Patients.............568....................798

Private Hospital
Hollywood Medical...........$2,616,759........**Purchased by South District 12/06
Avg. Daily Patients.............82

SOURCE: Agency for Health Care Administration

Broward Health - Powerful Paychecks

Operating one of the nation's largest tax-funded local hospital systems, the North Broward Hospital District last month changed it's name to "Broward Health - Powerful Medicine."

Better the District's new name was "Broward Health - Powerful Paychecks."

How so?

There seems to be few better places to work in South Florida than Broward's huge government-run health care system -- especially if you're an executive.

Pity the local media has ignored the remarkable trends in District salaries funded by local tax payers and patients.

NORTH BROWARD HOSPITAL DISTRICT – COMPENSATION*
(*Excluding Benefits and Bonuses)

2000...................................... 2007....................... Increase
Compensation................... Compensation.... CPI = 21%
Will Trower........................... Alan Levine
CEO/President....................CEO/President
$374,441............................. $540,800..................44%

Patricia Mahaney................Frank Nask
VP/CFO.............................. VP/CFO
$279,189............................ $321,381...................15%

Mark Knight........................ Arthur Wallace
Senior VP CFO................. VP Finance
$198,968............................ $228,800...................15%

F. McEldowney................. Joseph Rogers
VP Business Dev............. VP Business Dev.
$165,324........................... $274,997.....................66%

Jasmine Shirley.................Jasmine Shirley
Vice President...................Vice President
$124,764...........................$204,526.....................64%

Charlotte Mather................Charlotte Mather
Vice President...................Vice President
$125,000............................$204,526....................64%

Timothy Minton..................Joe Scott
CEO Broward General.... CEO Broward Gen.
$223,744...........................$366,371.....................64%

Dorothy Mancini................Calvin Glidewell
CEO Imperial Point..........CEO Imperial Point
$223,744...........................$299,998.....................34%

Deborah Mulvihill..............Patrick Maloney
CEO Coral Springs.........CEO Coral Springs
$180,898. ........................$289,998.....................60%

Joe Scott...........................Pauline Grant
CEO North Broward........CEO North Broward
$217,069..........................$329,306.....................52%

Joe Wagner.....................Doris Crain
VP/Chief Info. Officer......VP/Chief Info. Officer
$155,084.........................$218,421.....................41%

Will Trower.......................Will Trower**
$374,441.........................$560,706.....................50%
..........................................**consultant




AVERAGE EMPLOYEE'S SALARY

$44,455...........................$63,427.......................43%





source: North Broward Hospital District