After a difficult year, the hospital in Rugby has turned the corner.

Attendees of the Good Samaritan Hospital Association’s annual meeting at the Heart of America Medical Center’s W.R. Fox Auditorium Monday evening learned from Chief Financial Officer Lee Holter that the hospital has had a “positive bottom line” through September.

CEO Patrick Branco said the hospital has experienced a “visible” and “tangible” turnaround.

“We’re on the right path,” Branco said.

In his annual report, Branco said one year ago the hospital “had no cash” and had also been hit with an $800,000 penalty from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The hospital engaged in a restructure of its organization.

Branco thanked the hospital’s governing board, staff, providers, managers and the community support for the “remarkably fast turnaround.”

Chief Medical Officer Dustin Hager discussed growth at the Heart of America Johnson Clinic and the push for a 3D mammography unit. Hager said to date fundraising for 3D mammography has been successful. Kollin Johnson, a prospective board member for the Towner area, asked Hager if there was a projected date for fundraising to be completed. Hager said the hope was to purchase and install the unit in early 2019 and have it be operational by summer.

Chief Operations Officer Erik Christenson discussed services added to the hospital-including a pain clinic, oncology suite, and working with other organizations on providing oncology services-and operational changes.

Due to a lack of a quorum from ecumenical delegates, no votes were held on approval of annual meeting minutes from 2017 and election of board members.