Decatur County Health Organizations Align

  “Decatur Medical Services, the Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa and Decatur County Hospital have reached an agreement that identifies objectives and opportunities to assure high quality health care will continue to be available to the Decatur County communities,” Guy Clark, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Decatur County Hospital, and Marvin Sword, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa (CHCSI) along with Dr. Larry Richard of Decatur Medical Services announced.

The announcement stated that the hospital and physician groups will pursue joint ventures, equipment purchases, and/or share services, programs and management staff in a developing partnership for success. Decatur Medical Services and the Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa announced they will work towards aligning all Decatur County physicians and nurse practitioners into one organization.

“We are looking forward to working with both Decatur County Hospital and Decatur Medical Services,” Gary Rees, CEO of the Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa said, “With the cooperation of all the doctors and nurse practitioners and the hospital, we will be better able to recruit the next generation of care givers to our county.”

“This could mean a number of opportunities to improve healthcare in our county,” Darrell Vondrak, Administrator of Decatur County Hospital stated. “While we expect the Hospital to continue being our health care anchor in Leon, we are looking at ways to develop a diagnostic center and a physician office building for specialists and primary care providers at an economic development site in Decatur County,” he added.

The agreement indicated that Women’s Services and Children’s Programs would receive special attention. At the same time diagnostic equipment improvements would be sought through this association. “Attracting additional medical specialties to come to our community as a result of this partnership and adding new surgical procedures and clinics right here in Decatur County so our neighbors and friends don’t have to travel to Des Moines for their health care needs is a laudable goal,” Dr. Mark Easter of Decatur Medical Services stated.

“In addition to improving health care, this agreement will improve the financial future of Decatur County Hospital,” Vondrak said. “At the same time, it will attract and develop new sources of revenue and business for Decatur County.”

“A lot of good things that will improve the quality of health care have come to Decatur County over the past few years,” Dr, Pat Magle, Medical Director of CHCSI, said. “But none of this has been easy – it is all the result of grassroots efforts by a number of very dedicated people.”