MASON CITY – Mercy has told its employees it is closing its North Iowa Hospice care center in Mason City, which has served the community for decades.
According to an internal email from Mercy obtained by NorthIowaToday.com:
MercyOne must reduce costs and redistribute resources to ensure we can continue to fulfill our Mission with a focus on providing high-quality patient care. Unfortunately, this requires difficult decisions for our organization. As a result, starting in April, hospice patients needing inpatient or respite services will receive their care at the east campus of MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center or one of our network hospitals. Hospice patients needing inpatient or respite care will be admitted to the current inpatient unit until April 17. After that date inpatient hospice care will be transferred to the main campus or appropriate site. There will be no interruption of inpatient or respite care for our hospice patients other than the transfer of that care to a different location. The hospice house will continue to be open for administrative and colleague services. Dr. Amir Sajadian will continue in his role as the medical director of hospice. Hospice referrals and admissions will follow regular processes at this time. Hospice outpatient care will not be affected and will continue as usual.
One local woman said upon hearing the news, “That is terrible. I have prayed at many bedsides in that house.”
Another local man stated, “What a wonderful caring staff and peaceful place to transition to the next life. I’m praying for a miracle to keep this place open.”
Still another local woman said, “That is beyond sad. Come on, Mercy One, the community deserves better than that.”
INTERNAL EMAIL TEXT:
It was only about a year and a half ago that Mercy celebrated its hospice care center… but all that is gone now:
13 thoughts on “Mercy to close its North Iowa Hospice care center in Mason City”
Wow! I never thought I’d see the day when the mighty Mercy was brought to its knees. But that was before it was taken over by Trinity Health/MercyOne/Whatever in the world their corporate entity calls itself these days. Did they really mis-manage themselves out of hospice care? Time to start chopping jobs from the top down. Way too much administrative waste in this hospital!
How about the Board of Directors, take a pay CUT, the families of those YOUR SO DEDICATED TO PROVIDE service to DESERVE, HOSPICE to stay open!!!!!
The Board of Directors and those in charge, are doing a Grave Injustice to the People of North Iowa.
But I get it you will close this Wonderful Careing Place, TO LINE YOUR OWN POCKETS WITH MORE MONEY.
I truly hope the Board of Directors is Happy with thier decision to increase thier pay, and CHASE THAT ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR.
Once again with Mercy, money comes first before patient care. I can guarantee keeping that place open isn’t hurting them to much. If I’m not mistaken I think they already don’t pay any taxes either.
Mercy is not-for-profit so no, they don’t pay taxes. Their revenues are shielded from taxation.
It is sad to hear that they are closing this wonderful place! My mom was there in 2013 and received top notch care 24/7. Maybe they shouldn’t have spent all that money remodeling the entire hospital,clinics,etc. Such a waste! Another empty building in this town.So sad!
Hospice is a specialty much like cardiology, neurology, obstetrics etc. This email tries to point out there will be no interruptions but neglects to tell you the Hospice nurses were let go of their Hospice employment and that your dying family member will be cared for by an unqualified floor / traveling nurse. Such a sad day Mercy/Trinity Health couldn’t retain the Hospice nurses to care for Hospice patients at the hospital! Time will tell how well this decision works out!
What will happen to the memorial bricks? I hope they will not be just tossed aside.
How many people on the MercyOne board have ever had a family member or friend in the Hospice House? If so, the closure would not be happening. I volunteered at the in-patient units. I saw first hand the beauty of the dying process. I heard patients talk about seeing their family members who had died before them; and/or seeing angels in their rooms. I prayed with the patients and their families.
This closure decision is purely selfish. So many families have donated funds to Hospice of North Iowa. Who is doing an accounting of those funds?
I fervently hope, with the power of prayer, for the closure decision to be reversed!
I agree with everything Terie Engelking has said! I read this news with tears in my eyes! I am also a twenty-plus years loving Hospice volunteer and have witnessed the utmost loving. caring and compassionate care from the staff. I know that each nurse was not there for a job but as a nurse called by God. I also agree with K. C.’s letter in every respect. This is one of the saddest days for me and I pray that this could be somehow reversed. There are many many other ways that Mercy One could cut costs! This was a very unselfish act affecting the patients, grieving families and devoted angels of mercy aka staff members!!!
Fire Sajadian, that would save money. He has no clue how to show people respect. And is past his practice ! He is rude and disrespectful.
Dr. Sajadian is in a group of the top hospice doctors in the country. He can seem difficult sometimes but he is wonderful sometimes too. He is highly intelligent, compassionate and does his best to make Hospice of North Iowa an excellent provider. That may be why he rubs some people wrong at times…he expects excellence. He has such high standards, it’s possible he very much disrespects low or poor standards. Mason City and the areas in North Iowa are lucky to have him. He is probably the reason Mercy hasn’t closed the hospice completely. That and the fact it is a cherished and important service that has served so many in the community for a long time. People should know that not all hospices are the same. There are many differences between non-profit and for-profit hospices. North Iowa Hospice is a non-profit hospice. I hope Mason City and North Iowa will support this hospice so that it will continue to serve this community for many more years. Without it, hospice as we know it will no longer exist in this area. For-profit hospices will change how hospice care is provided and we will not get the care that our families, friends and ourselves, deserve.
And I also hope the bricks will always be there and more will be added. It is such a nice way to memorialize people we love and miss so much.
Anyway, be careful with your negative comments. Your experience may not be the same as other people have experienced. The negative comment could influence someone’s choice to use Hospice of North Iowa (Mercyone North Iowa Hospice). It would be very bad for this area if it was unable to keep going.
Really, really sad. Hope they will change this but doubt they will.
What is this hospital coming to? What is this world doing? I would like to know who is running this hospital? They are closing clinics around this area as they are not financially good for them!!! Come on! The communities in a 60 mile area deserve answers!