Veterans Memorial Hospital hosting meetings in Allamakee County to discuss proposed City to County conversion

This past March, Veterans Memorial Hospital shared its intent to file a petition to invoke a public vote for a City to County conversion and received the Waukon City Council’s support. In July, the hospital turned in a petition with more than enough signatures to earn inclusion on the ballot for the November 8 General Election for voters to vote on this conversion. Veterans Memorial Hospital staff and board members will now visit each Allamakee County community in the next two months to hold meetings to present and discuss the needs and impacts of this City to County conversion.

Like most rural hospitals, Veterans Memorial Hospital faces growing financial challenges. Changes made by the current leadership team have helped the hospital become solvent over the past two years and COVID relief dollars also helped offset expenses and fund minor renovations, but that is not enough to ensure the hospital’s future. Converting to a County hospital will build on this progress and help ensure long-term sustainability with the support of recurring annual appropriations.

“The main goal of this conversion is to make sure Veterans Memorial is here for the community for the long term,” stated Michael Coyle, CEO of Veterans Memorial Hospital. “To do that, we need additional resources not only to retain inpatient services like OB, but to bring other specialties to Allamakee County and the surrounding area.”

“Our patients and their families have been - and always will be - at the center of every decision we make,” said Coyle. “That’s why this conversion is so important. It’s critical to improving patient safety, meeting growing healthcare needs and changing regulations, and making sure everyone in the Allamakee county area continues to have access to exceptional care close to home. So we really hope the community will support this effort.”

Coyle also emphasized that the 70-year-old facility requires major renovations to meet new and upcoming healthcare codes. Appropriations would help support these critical infrastructure updates and other capital investments in technology.

Information on the need for this City to County conversion will be shared at these community meetings as well as shared in local newspapers and on the hospital’s website at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com. The schedule for these county meetings, by community and date, is as follows:

• Postville - Tuesday, September 27 at 6 p.m. in the NEIA Wellness Center Meeting Room
• New Albin - Thursday, September 29 at 6 p.m. at the New Albin Community Center
• Lansing - Monday, October 10 at 6 p.m. at TJ Hunters Banquet Hall
• Waterville - Tuesday, October 11 at 6 p.m. at the Waterville Community Center
• Harpers Ferry - Tuesday, October 18 at 6 p.m. at the Harpers Ferry Community Center
• Waukon - Tuesday, October 25 at 6 p.m. in the Freedom Bank Community Room
• Postville - Tuesday, November 1 at 6 p.m. in the NEIA Wellness Center Meeting Room.

Anyone is welcome to attend these presentations, and question and answer sessions will follow each presentation. For more information about the City to County conversion, patrons are invited to call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.