Veteran health care administrator, Veronica Fuhs, named chief executive officer to lead both organizations through a shared CEO service agreement
(ALBIA, Iowa) – The Board of Trustees of the Davis County Hospital (DCH), along with the Monroe County Hospital & Clinics (MCHC) Board of Trustees today announced the signing of a shared service agreement naming Veronica Fuhs as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to oversee both of their respective facilities. Each organization’s governance remains independent, and the appointment is effective immediately.
“This agreement provides a creative, regional approach to advancing both hospitals in a sustainable and collaborative way to best serve our communities,” said Davis County Hospital Board Chair Tom Prosapio. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are excited to welcome Veronica, as she has a proven track record of successfully leading hospitals and teams.”
Fuhs has served as CEO of MCHC in Albia, Iowa, since February 2015. During this time, she successfully recruited two, new family practice physicians, achieved growth in multiple service lines, secured a $589,000 Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program grant, added the Avera eEmergency service, and is currently leading a $19 million construction project for the hospital. In addition, MCHC was named one of Iowa’s “Top Workplaces” for the third consecutive year by the Des Moines Register.
“Veronica provides strong leadership to our hospital and demonstrates exceptional abilities while leading strategy and developing relationships with physicians, staff and the community,” said MCHC Board of Trustees Chair Marilee Scieszinski. “We feel this shared CEO model will be an effective way to leverage our collective expertise and resources and create long-term success for both hospitals.”
Fuhs is a resident of Moravia, Iowa. She has a master’s degree in health care administration from Des Moines University, and earned a bachelor’s degree in health information administration from Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota. Fuhs also serves on the Iowa Hospital Association’s ServiShare Board of Directors.
“I am honored to be asked to lead these two community hospitals, and I thank the Boards of Directors for their endorsements and confidence in me,” said Fuhs. “I am committed to exploring new ways the hospitals can collaborate and continue to share expertise for the benefit of the patients and families we serve in Davis and Monroe counties, as well as surrounding areas.”
Both DCH and MCHC are affiliated with the Mercy Health Network (MHN), an integrated system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services and facilities providing Iowans with statewide access to personalized, quality and high-value care.
“This shared leadership strategy is emerging in health care, particularly with critical access hospitals,” said MHN Senior Vice President of Network Affiliates Mike Trachta. “It’s a model proving to be successful in positioning hospitals within a region for long-term success, by maximizing resources and sharing specialists and expertise.”
With this shared service agreement, each hospital’s Board of Trustees maintains complete control of hospital operations. They also realize the economic and strategic benefits of sharing a CEO, in addition to the cost savings, management support and statewide initiatives offered through MHN.
Davis County Hospital is a 25-bed, critical access hospital located in Bloomfield, Iowa, committed to providing dedicated, compassionate, health care to the community. In addition, the Davis County Hospital Medical Associates Clinic provides care for the entire family and is located at Davis County Hospital. For more information about Davis County Hospital, please visit www.daviscountyhospital.org.
Established in 1951, Monroe County Hospital & Clinics is a trusted provider of high-quality, local health care to the residents of Monroe County, Iowa, and surrounding counties. The full-service, 25-bed, critical access hospital offers an array of inpatient and outpatient health services including surgical, clinical, specialty, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, occupational therapy, emergency, sleep studies, pain management services and more. Visit www.mchalbia.com for more information.