The Perry County Health System Board (PCHS) and PCMH Board of Trustees (Trustees), along with the hospital administration and physicians, have been working together to ensure long-term, quality health care for our community. PCMH is a valued resource in Perry County and has been for many years. As a community, we can all agree that we need to do everything possible to make sure we keep our hospital and continue to meet the health care needs in our area.
Many hospitals our size have not adapted to changes in funding structures and service delivery and have been forced to reduce services or shut down completely. PCMH has not only survived those changes, but has thrived. The adaptations necessary to maintain and improve health care in Perryville have been studied and implemented by the administration and boards for a long time. Obviously, those decisions have been key to the success of PCMH.
Successful businesses do not adapt to changes “after the fact.” Successful entities plan for the future and implement best practices in a timely manner. The time is now for PCMH to adapt again to sustain and expand quality health care for our community. Protecting and strengthening our healthcare system is a big deal that demands big changes.
There are three layers of leadership involved in this endeavor. Thus far, the PCHS board and Trustees along with hospital administrators and physicians have sought, studied and investigated possible sources of support in the form of an affiliation with a larger system. Both boards voted unanimously to move forward with Mercy Health. A plethora of items need to be negotiated before a final decision can be contemplated by the County Commissioners.
