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Health Care Health system seeks financial boost for trauma care



Bucko Re-elected Chief of Plastic Surgery at Scripps Memorial in La Jolla

Palomar Pomerado Health System officials said they will turn to the county Board of Supervisors to provide funding for its trauma-care center.

The trauma center in Escondido lost $1.4 million in the fiscal year ended June 30.

Officials estimated the trauma center’s net loss will rise to $1.7 million this fiscal year.

The costs to run the trauma center last year approached $18.8 million, said officials of the health system board’s finance committee meeting Jan. 25.

Revenues for 2000 were $17.4 million. The trauma unit treated 749 patients during that time.

The meeting follows an earlier announcement by Palomar’s trauma center that it may have to pull out of the San Diego trauma-care system unless it receives more funding.

Last year, Palomar Pomerado Health System lost $9.3 million in its operations budget and saw its credit rating downgraded.

The trauma center is the costliest program of the health system.

The trauma center lost $3.6 million in bad debt in fiscal 2000, as a result of non-paying patients, the health system reported.

Six months into the new fiscal year, the trauma center already has lost the same amount of money as in the previous fiscal year, said John Nilsson, CFO at Palomar Pomerado.

He expects bad debt will climb to $6.9 million this year with more working poor adults and unemployed people unable to pay for trauma care.

Nilsson said he’s concerned about the rising number of uninsured, but couldn’t explain the increase.

Palomar, however, is not alone.

California has seen a dwindling number of trauma centers.

According to a recent report by a coalition of trauma experts, one-third of all trauma patients in California are uninsured.

Another major problem is, health plans and government programs don’t cover the costs of trauma treatment, the coalition said.

Legislation to improve trauma care is on the way, said Gary Stephany, president and CEO of the Healthcare Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Stephany, however, said San Diego’s trauma system needs an infusion of state funding now.

– – –

Chief Of Plastic Surgery: Dr. Dennis Bucko has been re-elected chief of plastic surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.

Bucko, a board certified plastic surgeon, will continue to oversee the performance of plastic surgeons at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla and recommend procedures and clinical privileges.

Send health care news to mwebb @sdbj.com

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