About Us and Our Mission

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital has served El Dorado for 95 years. We are an independent nonprofit providing excellent care in a hometown hospital with a hometown feel.​

 

Our goal is to ensure that residents of El Dorado and the surrounding area have local access to the best possible healthcare, and our staff works hard to provide that care 24/7. We play a vital role in maintaining quality of life in our area.

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Kansas hospitals are facing a variety of challenges, and our hospital is no exception. Problems include reimbursement shortfalls; increased costs for labor, equipment, drugs and other inputs; and rising levels of uncompensated care.

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We’ve taken necessary steps to cut expenses and improve services in the last few years. The current management team and board of directors are committed to realigning, and we are seeking support from the community to help us reach that goal. 

 

We’re asking for a seven-year, one-cent ($0.01, or 1%) sales tax to support Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital. The sales tax revenue will help us:

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• Stabilize our finances in the wake of unanticipated increases in operating costs post-COVID.

• Reduce reliance on higher-cost contract staff in favor of attracting local talent, particularly in nursing.

• Make critical equipment purchases to ensure we provide high-quality care.

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Most community hospitals (74%) in Kansas receive public support through a sales tax or mill levy. Our hospital receives no other tax support.

 

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital provides a significant positive economic impact in El Dorado; for example, we provide nearly 300 jobs and pay $16.4 million in labor income to employees.​ Availability of local healthcare services helps El Dorado residents avoid the time and expense of traveling to receive those services elsewhere, improves the health of our workforce, assists in recruitment and retention of businesses and helps retirees age in place. When people receive local healthcare services, they are more likely to shop locally.

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If the sales tax measure passes, our hospital will publicly disclose how sales tax funds are allocated to operations and how the funds help us improve. This will be done through submission of an annual report to the El Dorado City Commission. The report will also be posted on the hospital website.

 

Please vote YES on August 4 to support our continued service in El Dorado.