Articles Tagged: MercyOne

In the face of objections from MercyOne — the Des Moines area health care system that for six years provided management over a troubled Mercy Iowa City — a federal judge is leaning toward approving a long-negotiated liquidation plan for the now-bankrupt community hospital that exposes MercyOne to liability and lawsuits.

Of nearly 400 companies or individuals with “nonpriority unsecured claims” against Mercy Iowa City – meaning the hospital owes them money but will pay them back last, if at all, in its bankruptcy restructuring – more than a dozen are litigants who sued and won settlements, awards, or judgments.

A month after Mercy Iowa City leadership named a new CEO, announced the hospital again would exit its partnership with Des Moines-based MercyOne, and disclosed the hire of an operations improvement consultant, executives last week shared more organizational updates – including that an “internal and external” rebranding is underway.

Mercy Iowa City this morning is holding a series of “all staff” meetings to announce upcoming changes for the 194-bed hospital — including the appointment of a new CEO, the hire of a operations-improvement consultant, and a new plan to end its relationship with MercyOne.

Moody’s Investors Service again has downgraded Mercy Iowa City Hospital’s credit rating following “severe cash flow deterioration, from historically weak levels, which has resulted in material and rapid cash burn.”

Some staff nurses overwhelmed by ballooning patient loads and more charts and medications to juggle are relieved to have the extra hands traveling nurses provide. Others harbor contempt for the higher wages travelers make – costing their hospitals millions – even as temporary nurses are less familiar with the facilities, processes, and patients.

Among four proposals Mercy Iowa City entertained last year in its search for a new partner was one from University of Iowa Health Care offering more than $605 million to take ownership of the community hospital and make it the “centerpiece” of a new UIHC “community division.”

A year after Mercy Iowa City announced plans to exit its four-year affiliation with the statewide MercyOne health network and integrate into a larger health care system, the community hospital is pulling the plug on its search for a new partner and sticking with MercyOne.

Friday marked the final day for employees of MercyOne to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive an exemption. The health care system had extended the deadline to comply with a new state law that allowed staff previously denied an exemption to reapply.

MercyOne, the health care system that operates hospitals and clinics across Iowa, is extending its COVID-19 vaccination mandate to Nov. 12. Under a new state law, employees previously denied a religious or medical exemption have the opportunity to file for a waiver.

Staff at MercyOne facilities across Iowa are required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by this fall, diverging from other local hospitals when it comes to mandating shots for employees.

The Iowa City-based hospital will end its affiliation agreement with the statewide MercyOne health network, The Gazette confirmed Wednesday.