Clinic shows solid increase in visits

The Point Roberts health clinic is showing a solid increase in patient visits in 2022. Through August, the clinic has logged 1,152 patient visit, which is 10 percent higher than the 1,047 visits in 2021. Of those visits, 112, or 9.7 percent, were telemedicine visits, a sharp jump from 2021 which saw just 25 telemedicine visits. Interestingly, skin care visits have declined from 61 in 2021 to 50 in 2022.

While overall visits are up, costs are way up. Total operating revenue (patient revenue plus hospital district contract revenue) for the first six months of the year totals $143,094. Of that, contract revenue equals $96,000, or 67 percent. Patient revenue is $47,000 approximately. This compares to total costs of $226,982 for a deficit of $83,888. The major factor driving costs are salaries of staff members. Payroll costs including payroll taxes total $175,309 for 77.2 percent of all costs. In 2020, revenue in the first six months totaled $144,821 but salaries were only $71,620. (Comparable 2021 figures were not available at time of press.)

According to clinic director Dr. Sean Bozorgzad, the major driver behind the increase in payroll was due to the fact that the clinic is now employing all medical doctors instead of physician’s assistants as in the past. Other factors include patient payments and insurance reimbursements.

“One of the things going on is insurance companies push more of the costs to the patients to satisfy their deductible requirements in the first part of the year and we don’t aggressively go after our patients to pay their bills. We are hoping to see higher payments in the later part of the year,” Bozorgzad told commissioners at their regular September meeting. SuperTrack’s Alexandra Wiley attributed the decreased revenue in the first quarter to a general slowdown in payments from insurance companies overall.

Commissioner Stephen Falk appeared a little nonplussed with the numbers. “I hope, for your sake, that SuperTrack can get back on track.”

In other district business, commissioners discussed the need to educate new residents about the existence and services provided by the clinic. Bozorgzad mentioned a new client who was “super grateful” that she was able to be seen on short notice and provided with antibiotics at no charge. [The clinic distributes antibiotics free.] “We told her it was a gift from the community,” he said.

The district has been in the process of upgrading its website, which can be found at pointrobertsclinic.com. Hours, services and more are available online.