Executives and Board of Directors members at Essentia Health took in a total of $23,621,227 in compensation in the year 2019.[1] That money is spread out to only 39 executives and board members, providing them an average annual $605,672, which is seven times the average nurse compensation in the Duluth area.[2]
Essentia’s revenues continue to grow—in 2010 their total operating revenue was $1,500,289,000. Just ten years later, in 2020, their operating revenue grew to $2,185,511,000.[3] After accounting for operational costs, Essentia had its best year ever in 2021 with excess of revenue over expenses at $430,945,000, up from $56,662,000 in 2010.[4]
The Lown Institute Hospitals Index is an independent research group that collects data on healthcare organizations and ranks them based on their performance across health outcomes, value, and equity. Below are some of their rankings for Essentia Health’s hospitals in Duluth that provide a sense of what their real priorities are.[1] It’s clear that the money Essentia Health brings in from high patient costs is not sufficiently invested in the community or hospital staff.
SOURCES
[1] 2019 990 Schedule J filed May 11, 2021
[2] May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Bureau of Labor Statistics
[3] 990 tax filings and CAFRs 2010—2021
[4] ibid
[5] https://lownhospitalsindex.org/hospital/essentia-health-st-marys-medical-center