Dear Editor
It has been my privilege to serve on the Perry County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees for approximately 25 years and my last official meeting with this board will be on March 26. For the last four years I have also served on the board of Perry County Health System, which had leased the operations of the hospital from 1998 until September 30, 2023. I will continue to serve as a director of Perry County Health System until all reporting, collections, expenses and cost reports are settled. During the last 26 years we have had four different hospital administrators all maintaining the same goal – to make PCMH the first choice of quality healthcare for our community. Over those years capital expenditures included the construction of beautiful new buildings, PFCC West building purchase, Main Street office building purchase, renovation of surgery rooms, patient rooms and ER, improvements at Perry Co Estates and much more. This property belongs to the hospital and county and all for the purpose of providing healthcare to our community. This was all accomplished because of our committed and dedicated administrations, providers, staff and volunteers. How amazing is that when the hospital only receives approximately $380,000 in tax funds annually from the community? (The same amount as the local library receives.) The hospital has had to do well over the years, on its own, in order to provide Perry County with the wonderful facility and awesome services and providers available to all of us.
Perry County Health System relinquished its lease and the county commissioners and the trustees entered into a new lease with Mercy on October 1, 2023. Along with the ownership of all the real estate, the Health System was able to turn over millions of dollars in various accounts to the hospital trustees – all for the purpose of providing health care to the community. These funds and assets would not have been accumulated without the two boards and the administration working together over the many years.
In 2019, when up for re-election, I stated that I wanted PCMH to remain an independent hospital. That seemed feasible at the time but a number of factors made the future of small, independent, rural hospitals very challenging. Private insurance companies and Medicare Advantage plans pay less and less. Medicare and Medicaid are constantly changing how doctors and hospitals are paid. Staffing is always a challenge for rural hospitals. After listening to the doctors and the hospital administration, and several hospitals that were interested in partnering with us, I was happy and confident to vote for the lease with Mercy. Mandated electronic medical records system is an expense of over $6 million and Mercy is providing that. They are continually making other noticeable improvements around the campus. To have a larger system’s purchasing power is a huge advantage in keeping healthcare costs lower for the community. When we are short staffed or emergency situations arise, Mercy employees from other locations are able to help fill the void. Their support and encouragement are a tremendous blessing.
