Case Study: St. Elizabeth Healthcare | St. Elizabeth Physicians

Every healthcare professional knows the value of a thorough examination. St. Elizabeth Healthcare (SEH) and St. Elizabeth Physicians (SEP), of Northern Kentucky, learned the benefits firsthand, when their national healthcare consulting firm tapped ERS Utility Solutions (ERS) for a detailed analysis of utility and telecom services and costs. The surgical precision of ERS’ approach combines state-of-the-art technology, access to years of detailed utility billing, knowledge of industry-specific state and federal regulations, and “feet on the ground” inspections of energy and telecom calculating equipment.

PAIN POINTS & CHALLENGES

• Uncertainty in the healthcare industry has providers working to control costs and stay competitive
• Facilities include more than 70 primary care and specialty office locations in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana
• Operating dozens of sites with multiple utility and telecom providers in three states requires constant diligence

ERS UTILITY SOLUTIONS

• Onsite verification and documentation of meters, pressure gauges, and telecom lines
• Detailed analysis of multipliers, tariff codes, surcharges, and other regulatory variables
• Comprehensive analysis, interpretation, and recalculation of billing line items to identify overcharges
• Advocacy and follow up with utilities, telecom providers, and government agencies to ensure billing errors are corrected and overcharges are recovered!

OUTCOMES & BENEFITS

$200,000+ in one-time refunds and credits

• $170,000 to 190,000 refunds (SEH)
• $27,000 to 30,000 refunds (SEP)

$150,000+ in ongoing annual cost reductions, including:

• $57,000 to $62,500 for correcting billing tax errors (SEH/SEP)
• $40,000 for switching electrical services to a demand rate
• $30,000-$40,000 for reestablishment of a sewer charge exemption
• $18,000-$21,000 for converting back-up phones to a measured rate
• $12,000 for taking advantage of tiered water rates
• $10,000 for optimizing smart phone and device rate plans
• $6,600 by eliminating unused two-wire circuits
  
• $3,000-$3,500 in misc. annual savings

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“(ERS) has a well-defined auditing process. They were very knowledgeable about nonprofits and knew exactly what to look for and how to communicate with state departments in multiple states to get the money back, lickety-split.” –Duke Osborne, Tax Senior Analyst, St. Elizabeth Healthcare

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BOTTOM LINE

ERS’ auditing process yielded a healthy savings of nearly $1 million over five years!

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