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. These sessions last less than an hour and will answer any questions anyone may have about the proposed conversion of Veterans Memorial Hospital from a city-owned to a county-owned hospital.
The schedule for these county meetings, by community and date, is as follows:
• Dorchester - Thursday, October 6 at 6 p.m. at Wings Restaurant Meeting Room.
• 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 one. Questions such as the following will be covered at these informational meetings:
QUESTION: What will the conversion cost taxpayers?
ANSWER: A minimal tax increase has been proposed to support approximately $950,000 in annual appropriations for VMH. For example, a resident with a home valued at $144,000 would be taxed just $157/year to help ensure the sustainability of healthcare for Allamakee County.
QUESTION: What, specifically, are your plans for the money?
ANSWER: Funds are earmarked for critical capital investments that may include:
• Operating Room (OR) updates and expansion: Currently, VMH has just one OR that is shared by orthopedic, ophthalmology, podiatry, OB and general surgeons, which makes OR availability very limited. The time it takes to clean the OR between each patient further limits availability. As VMH continues to recruit new specialists, an additional surgery suite will be needed to accommodate growing patient volume.
• Emergency Room (ER) updates and expansion: With just two main ER rooms to service a growing number of patients, VMH’s Emergency Department is often full. It will be critical to expand the ER to ensure everyone has access to emergency services when they need them.
• Infrastructure updates/renovations: The current facility is 70+ years old, and it has been more than 20 years since any major renovations were made. VMH will need to make major updates in the near future, including replacing the roof and boiler, updating the HVAC and electrical systems, and purchasing a new emergency generator.
• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system: Upgrading to a user-friendly system will allow patient records to be electronically transferred quickly and easily, not only between different providers and departments, but also between different healthcare facilities. This will help save time, improve accuracy and provide a better patient experience.
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 being 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.
