VMH hosting meetings in Allamakee County to discuss proposed City to County conversion
Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) staff and board members continue to visit each Allamakee County community to present and discuss the need to convert from a city-owned hospital to a county-owned hospital. The hospital turned in a petition with more than enough signatures to earn a spot on the ballot November 8 for voters to vote on this conversion in the upcoming general election.
Questions such as the following will be covered at these informational meetings:
Why is the conversion needed? Additional resources are needed to ensure the sustainability of local, personalized healthcare in Allamakee County for decades to come. Converting from a city- to a county-owned hospital will allow VMH not only to retain existing programs like surgery and OB, but to expand services to meet the county’s growing healthcare needs. County appropriations will also support critical infrastructure and technology updates such as new roofs on the building and electronic medical records. Both are essential to improving patient care, as well as retaining and attracting physicians, nurses and other staff in a highly competitive market. 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.
Additional meetings in Waukon as well as Dorchester are being planned. Detailed information and hand-out materials on the need for this city to county conversion will be shared at these community meetings, as well as shared in future local newspapers and on the hospital’s website at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com/voteyes/. Anyone is welcome to attend these presentations, and question and answer sessions will follow each one.
A Facebook Live event was aired Friday, September 16 and is available for review by going to the Veterans Memorial Hospital Facebook page.
For more information about the need for the city to county conversion, call VMH at 563-568-3411.
