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Just about a year ago, Mercy Jefferson began assisting Washington County Memorial Hospital (WCMH) by providing an interim chief executive officer for the Potosi hospital. That relationship is expanding to continue improving health care options for the residents of Washington County and surrounding communities.
On October 10, WCMH and Mercy entered a five-year management agreement that calls for Mercy to provide administrative oversight and other services for Washington County Memorial effective October 17, 2017.
The role of the board of directors of WCMH will not change; the board retains responsibility for all policies of the hospital. Mercy will manage hospital operations including the appointment of a hospital administrator, subject to approval by the WCMH board of directors.
Michele Meyer, Vice President of Operations at Mercy Hospital Jefferson, has served as interim chief executive officer since November 2016. She will continue in the role of administrator for Washington County Memorial. The management agreement is for a period of five years and may be extended.
“By formalizing this arrangement, the Washington County board and Mercy will jointly pursue a shared commitment to provide local access to physician services and hospital services for the residents of Potosi and surrounding communities,” said Eric Ammons, president of Mercy Hospital Jefferson. “Mercy’s position as an integrated health system serving the entire region enables Washington County Memorial to gain benefits that are not readily available for an independent operation.”
Mercy owns or manages 44 hospitals and several hundred outpatient clinics across four Midwestern states.
“Mercy is well known for its commitment to providing high-quality health services, and the strength of its resources will assist us in delivering the best care possible to people served by Washington County Memorial,” said Melvin Warden, WCMH board chairman.
In addition to providing day-to-day management for WCMH, Mercy will seek input from the community in developing a Community Master Plan to chart the future course for the hospital. Mercy will also assist with recruiting new primary care physicians and specialists, offer access to a group purchasing program for supplies and equipment, and provide consultation on developing new patient services and other administrative matters.
