The high cost of traveling nurses has caused Wyoming Medical Center's operating income to fall about $1.5 million from this same time last year, the chief financial officer said.

The hospital has been forced to use more traveling nurses in recent months because several nurses left to work for one of the two new hospitals on the east side of town, Nancy Brandt told the trustees of the Memorial Hospital Board of Natrona County during its monthly meeting Thursday.

Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital opened in January. A new surgical facility, Mountain View Regional Hospital, is scheduled to open the end of this month.

"It's a significant drop," Brandt said about the operating margin. "I think it will be hard to make up."

The hospital's 2007-08 fiscal year ends June 30.

Brandt said the hospital took longer to hire new graduates than it has in the past. She said the hospital does not anticipate hiring as many traveling nurses next year nor experiencing a similar drop in operating income.

The hospital has hired about 23 new nurses who have just graduated, said Vickie Diamond, chief executive officer.

"This should help fill those vacancies," Diamond said.

Since the beginning of fiscal year, the hospital has decreased its charity care and bad debt from a combined $21,363,634 a year ago to $20,995,224.

The five-member board of trustees oversees the Wyoming Medical Center's lease of Natrona County's hospital assets. The lease requires the hospital to maintain the value of the assets and provide care for indigent patients and prisoners.

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.

Hospital board seeks new member

The Wyoming Medical Center Board of Directors will be looking for a new member this summer.

Bill McDowell, a Casper stockbroker who served for six years, will not seek a third term.

A nominating committee will start gathering nominations in June from the hospital board, the trustees of the Memorial Hospital Board of Natrona County and the county commission.

The nominating committee will choose several finalists and present them to the hospital board.

A final decision will be made by the board of directors by the end of July, said board chairman Steve Chadderdon.

The nominating committee will most likely consist of Chadderdon; Vickie Diamond, hospital president; Rob Hendry, chairman of the county commission; and Pat Thorson, chairwoman of the board of trustees.

Anyone can be nominated, Chadderdon said. If people have an interest in the hospital, they can submit their names to county commissioners.

That's what he did.

When Chadderdon found out there was an open board position several years ago, he sent a letter to county commissioner, Jon Campbell.

The board might be looking for some specific criteria in a candidate.

"Bill was very good with pensions and finances," Chadderdon said. "We would like to find someone that has that expertise."

Also starting in July, the board will change its meeting schedule. Members will now meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month.