Patient visits increasing, hospital CEO tells commission

Eureka Springs Hospital CEO Tiffany Means reported an increase in patient visits during the first half of 2026.

“Through the first six months of 2026, emergency department visits have increased from 971 during the same period in 2025 to 1,325 in 2026. That’s a 36.5 percent increase,” Means said during the Eureka Springs Hospital Commission’s regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 21. “EMS arrivals increased from 197 to 404, a 105 percent increase.

“At the same time, average emergency department length of stay improved from 163 minutes to 148 minutes. That is important. We cared for substantially more patients while improving our throughput.”

The increase continued in July and August, Means said.

“July total patient volume was 336 compared with 238 in July of 2025, an increase of approximately 41 percent,” she said. “August total patients reached 377 compared to 301 in August of 2025, an increase of approximately 25 percent.

August also included 95 EMS arrivals, compared with 84 in August 2025.

“These trends reinforce the growing utilization of Eureka Springs Hospital and the importance of maintaining reliable emergency access for our region. Our hybrid emergency department and urgent care model officially opened July 14. The purpose remains simple: One door, one medical screen examination, and the right level of care for every patient. Our emergency department remains open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while patients with appropriate lower acuity needs can receive a more affordable urgent care pathway after their medical evaluation 24-7.

“From July 14 through Sept. 21, we’ve seen 286 patients that have qualified for the urgent care pathway. In August alone, 111 of those patients of our 377 encounters were urgent care encounters. This model is helping us preserve emergency capability while expanding access and affordability for appropriate lower acuity care.”

Means said the hospital hired Tracy Dampier as revenue cycle director in early August. Dampier is reviewing previously denied claims and working on billing processes, Means said.

“Her work has already brought important visibility to areas that needed focused review,” Means said. “Her review has identified prior period denial-related write-offs that warranted validation for potential follow-up or recovery opportunities.

“Just as importantly, we are putting stronger processes in place moving forward. Her work today includes posting available remittance advices within Oracle, collaborating with our Clearinghouse of SSI on correction and outbound claims, locating missing remittances, contacting insurance payers regarding contract verification and provider enrollment, confirming that payors have our current provider roster, and working with admissions on payment posting.

This is a foundation of revenue cycle work, and having dedicated leadership focused on it every day is truly an important step forward.”

Through Aug. 31, the hospital’s “validated gross charges” for2026totaled$7,934,659.34, Means said. She cautioned that the figure does not represent money collected.

“I want to be very clear when we discuss this number publicly, these charges are what the hospital bills,” she said. “They do not equal cash collected or the amount we ultimately receive from a payor. Reimbursements varies by payor, contracts, eligibility, claim processing and other factors. That distinction is essential when looking at hospital financial performance.”

Means also said a visit by U.S. Rep. Steve Womack led to assistance from his staff with an IRS matter that had delayed the hospital’s application for tax-exempt status.

“… Following his visit his team assisted with us in resolving our IRS issue that had delayed our 501(c)(3) process for months,” Means said.

“Helping us move forward with this, we officially did receive our letter this past week.

We are sincerely appreciative of Congressman Womack and his team for their engagement, responsiveness, and willingness to support the needs of rural health care in our community.”

FINANCIAL UPDATE

Interim CFO Doug Hoban said the hospital continues to improve its expense efficiency per patient encounter. He said the finance department remains focused on cash management as it works to correct revenue cycle issues.

Cash in the bank totaled nearly $3.2 million as of Aug. 31, Hoban said. He reported August expenditures of $619,566.48 and a monthly rural emergency hospital facility payment of $295,051.54.

Hoban gave two slightly different figures for August collections: $474,136.46 in one statement and $474,136.76 in another. He said the nine-month average from December 2025 through August 2026 was $462,458.11 per month.

December 2025 collections were $377,306.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Means said the hospital plans to recognize Rural Emergency Hospital and Emergency Nurses Week on Oct. 14-18 and hold a community event that week.

“Coffee with the CEO” returns Oct. 22, and the hospital will hold a Community Health Assessment Forum on Oct. 29.

Means said she has also been asked to moderate at Arkansas Hospital Association meetings and participate in other industry events.

“I will attend the CEO/ CFO Conference in Chicago as a panel reviewer, and I’ve been invited to participate as a speaker at Becker’s Rural Health Conference in April 2027,” she said. “I view each of these opportunities as a chance to represent Eureka Springs Hospital, learn from other leaders, and bring relationships and ideas back to our organization and community.”