During the regular monthly meeting held today (Tuesday) the Henry County Health Center Board of Trustees passed a resolution for an operational lease with Great River Health System. The lease will go before the citizens of Henry County in a special election to be held in March of this year.
At the November monthly meeting the Trustees passed a memorandum of understanding in order to explore moving forward with the possibility of a lease. Great River Health Systems would lease HCHC assets and employees in order to operate the local hospital. HCHC lawyers emphasized this is not the sale of HCHC but rather a unique public/private partnership. The current HCHC board would remain and will over see the lease. The HCHC board would also continue to levy taxes in order to maintain and/or replace the assets. And would collect rent from Great River for use of the assets. The employees would remain with HCHC in order to keep their benefits and the HCHC Foundation Funds would be retained by the Foundation.
Emergency Management Services remains with HCHC but Great River has committed to subsidizing any shortfall for the first five years to help stabilize and maintain the services.
HCHC Board President Kent Severson said during the discussion he is “very, very excited” about this agreement. He also noted it is far better to do this now when HCHC is in a position of strength rather than go it alone. HCHC has already been part of a long-time management partnership with Great River. The lawyers said this will financially sustain the hospital for the long term and is a long term solution to the stability of healthcare in the county.