The Yuma Hospital District Board of Directors and CEO Anne Kreutzer briefly looked back at 2025 during the board’s regular meeting last week in the Pearse Boardroom.
All five board members were in attendance, President Mitch Korf, Mark Werts, Delaina Klein, Liz Hickman and Monica King.
One of the strategic priorities was the district’s financial health. While the final 2025 numbers were not completed before last week’s meeting, Kreutzer said it is looking like YHD will barely finish in the black, the first time in many years. The operating margin is looking like it will be about one-tenth of 1 percent in the positive.
The district operated in negative operating margins of minus-7.8 in 2021, minus-7.3 in 2022, minus-12.3 in 2023 and minus-4.4 in 2024.
Taking care of staff was another priority. Kreutzer noted wages had been stagnant for years, and high insurance premiums for an employee’s family made it tough to retain and hire staff. A study was conducted comparing salaries to positions in similar facilities in the region. While some, such as Kreutzer, did not receive a raise in 2025, many did with it topping out at a 36-percent raise.
At the same time, the district was able to decrease insurance premiums by 25 percent.
Kreutzer said the district also is relying less on temporary staff. The district spent $1 million on temporary staff last year, compared to $2 million in 2023 and $1.6 million in 2024.
Bringing in providers and stabilizing the lab and its staff help with income.
The hospital district had 800 more appointments in 2025 compared to 2024. Seventy percent of patient surveys indicated the patient would recommend the hospital district to others. That is a 6-percent increase.
Interpreter services have been improved in recent years. Two staff members now are certified interpreters and two more are going through the process. Plus, several of the medical providers are bilingual.
Kreutzer hit on YHD’s new marketing efforts and new website. She acknowledged there remains quite a way to go, and there is a long list of what the district wants to accomplish in 2026. Staff and the board will go over that during an upcoming strategic planning session.
The board approved changing its monthly meeting start times from 5:30 to 5 p.m. It will remain on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and will be in the Pearse Boardroom. Posting places for meeting notices will remain the YHD website, outside the Pearse Boardroom, and at City Hall and Yuma County Courthouse.
The board approved Teri Mekelburg, RN, to continue being the lead of Infection Control efforts. Dr. Todd McLaughlin was approved to remain as the physician lead for Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Rael Woehrle as the pharmacist lead.
The annual review of the Nursing Staff Plan was approved unanimously.
Board members reviewed the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality statements. There were no questions or comments.
Approved new appointments to the medical staff were for Alexandra Rakestraw, DO, Family Medicine, Derek Fimmen, MD, Radiology, and Jeremiah Brewer, DO, Psychiatry. Reappointments were for Zachary Bailey, DO, Radiology, and Alicia Bennett, DO, Neurology.
The board discussed the CEO contract renewal is coming up in May. Korf asked his fellow board members if they wanted the full board to do the annual review and contract, or appoint two board members to work with the board’s attorney and Kreutzer. After discussion, the board appointed Hickman and Korf to fill that role.
The board’s next regular meeting will be February 25 at 5 p.m. in the Pearse Boardroom.