CCH OWNERSHIP IS CHANGING
By Pam Reinig
Register Editor
Central Community Hospital, Elkader, will soon have a new owner.
A letter of intent has been signed that enables Mercy Health Network (MHN), Dubuque, to acquire the hospital. The official change of ownership is set for July 1, 2018.
“We are committed to enhancing the health and wellness of area residents,” said Brooke Kensinger, CEO at Central Hospital, adding that becoming a full affiliate of MHN will give patients access to more specialists and resources. Expanded employee benefits and enhanced career path options for employees will also be offered.
CCH has had a management relationship with MHN for nearly two decades.
The hospital’s name will change to reflect MHN’s ownership. However, the facility will still be managed locally. The CCH and Foundation boards will still exist, and local volunteers and donors will still play an important role in hospital activities and events.
“This is the right move for the hospital and the community,” said CCH Board President Bob Bodensteiner. He added all decisions were made from a “position of strength,” meaning that the CCH is financially stable.
“Hospitals of all sizes in today’s health care marketplace face financial challenges,” Kensinger said. “Thankfully, CCH has remained financially stable and has been able to meet the needs of the patients we serve. However, with changing demographics, lower reimbursement rates and aging populations, the CCH Board knew that planning for the future was important for the long-term stability of the hospital. This is why we wanted to make a change when the hospital was in a good position to do so on our own accord, not because we had to.”
Kay Takes, President of Mercy-Dubuque, also shared her excitement about the opportunities presented by adding CCH to the MHN family.
“We have enjoyed close ties to the Elkader community for many years, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work even closer with the wonderful staff and physicians of Central Community Hospital,” said Takes. “The prospect of fully integrating Central Community Hospital with Mercy-Dubuque and Mercy-Dyersville is also exciting. These three hospitals, working in concert with MHN’s latest affiliate in Guttenberg, will provide all of us the opportunity to collaborate and innovate for the benefit of our patients.”
