Regional Health Services of Howard County (RHSHC) has been affiliated with Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in various relationships for nearly 20 years.   But what does “affiliate” mean and how does that result in better health care for you?  To affiliate is often described as “to bring into close association or connection”. Years ago RHSHC and Mercy associated under a management agreement, and then over time the two organizations connected closely to recruit and retain physicians to Howard County.
    In 2001, realizing the increasing challenges facing rural health care, the Board of RHSHC sought to create an even closer partnership with a larger facility that would help to consistently support its efforts to improve health care services for the residents of Howard County.  As Mercy had a strong network of hospitals and clinics throughout north central and northeast Iowa, the partnership began and a 15-year agreement was signed.
    The RHSHC Board recognized early that affiliation helps recruit physicians and administrators to local rural hospitals, which is why the providers at the clinics are employees of Mercy.  At the same time, the CEO of RHSHC is an employee of Mercy, but responsible to the local Board to lead the facility and determine how both organizations can work together to develop new programs and enhance services already provided. 
    As the delivery and management of health care has become more complex and difficult to do as a sole community provider, what the relationship with Mercy has created is an opportunity for RHSHC staff to utilize the talents of key resources, such as physician recruitment, budgeting, understanding new government regulations and how to incorporate them into day to day operations and access to human resource advice. Another area the relationship is beneficial is purchasing of material and items at reduced rates because of the stronger buying power that Mercy and the network has versus RHSHC trying to buy on its own.
    Because of the affiliation - does that mean if you need care that cannot be provided at RHSHC you will have to go to Mercy-Mason City? As a key member of your own health care team, you can decide where you receive care.  RHSHC is in the unique situation of having and maintaining good relationships with physicians and hospitals in Rochester, La Crosse, Mason City, as well as other places. It is however, a good affiliation with Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, an award-winning and nationally recognized hospital.
    Mercy Medical Center –North Iowa has a long tradition of excellence in care delivery. Mercy has been named: • A Top 100 Hospital for five years by Thomson Healthcare • A Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital for seven years, Thomson Healthcare • Most Wired Hospital, according to results of the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study • A Top 100 Acute Rehabilitation Unit, Uniform Data System • A Top 100 Home Care Agency, Home Care Elite.
    Mercy has received numerous other awards and has worked hard to achieve these levels of excellence as well as it is working to better educate the communities of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota as to what they can provide.        
    RHSHC and Mercy are working to improve access to specialists in Cresco. Currently, we have specialists who come on a regular basis from Mayo and Gundersen as well as Mason City. RHSHC is wanting to expand the number of specialists and the frequency of their visits, but increase the tests, procedures, surgeries and services that can remain in Cresco. We continue to work with Mercy-North Iowa on how this can be accomplished.
    RHSHC is working on many relationships, including our partnership with Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, to best serve your health care needs. It is our mission to be the organization where all residents of Howard County and the surrounding area come to rely upon for their health care needs.  Thank you very much for your current and future support as we grow RHSHC. 
-By David Hartberg, CEO,
and Jerry Ferrie, Board Chairman