West Burlington, Iowa, July 24, 2018 – Healthcare in southeast Iowa
is about to get stronger. The Board of Directors at Fort Madison Community
Hospital (FMCH) has signed an affiliation agreement to join Great River
Medical Center as partners under the Great River Health corporate
umbrella. The agreement will become effective Wednesday, August 1. This
partnership, of two independent healthcare organizations, will position
southeast Iowa as a regional hub for high-quality primary and specialty
care, provided through a local health system.
The announcement was first made in December of 2017 that FMCH and Great
River Health System were exploring the possibility of an affiliation.
At that time, both facilities began what ultimately became a seven-month
review of operating and governing documents to determine the viability
of a partnership.
“The agreement represents a collaborative understanding of the industry,
our patients, and our communities. Partnership will create promise that
the very best coordinated and comprehensive health care can be found right
here in southeast Iowa. It’s a new day; we simply can’t let
history stand in the way of our future and doing what’s best for
our patients,” commented Jeremy Alexander, CEO at Fort Madison Community Hospital.
Both healthcare organizations, as part of Great River Health, will
maintain their identities including names, boards of directors, and administrative teams.
“Having a shared vision will help us provide higher quality health
care. This partnership will create a stronger, local health system solely
dedicated to serving the southeast Iowa region,” expressed Matt
Wenzel, CEO at Great River Health.