RCH and MercyOne end management agreement
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County-owned critical access hospital outlines next steps
Publisher’s Note: The following is a press release from Ringgold County Hospital. The Mount Ayr Record News has reached out to the Ringgold County Hospital Board’s designated point of contact with a request for additional information and comment. As of press time a response has not been received.
MOUNT AYR, Iowa – The Ringgold County Hospital Board of Directors announced on Monday, June 1 that its administrative management agreement with MercyOne will be ending on August 4, 2026. The wind-down of administrative support contracts will occur over a structured 90-day transition period. The Board of Directors and hospital leadership remain committed to keeping patient care as the top priority during this transition. To ensure absolute clarity for patients, staff and area residents, Ringgold County Hospital has established the following immediate protocols:
• Uninterrupted Clinical Services: All essential units at Ringgold County Hospital, including the 16-bed critical access inpatient unit, the RCH Emergency Department, the Mount Ayr Medical Clinic, and the Ringgold County Ambulance Service, will remain open and fully functional under local county leadership.
• Staffing and Workforce Retention: Staff members employed directly by Ringgold County Hospital are unaffected by this transition. For executive positions contracted directly via the MercyOne network, a joint leadership committee is actively finalizing permanent local placement and leadership retention strategies.
As an independent, county-owned facility, Ringgold County Hospital will regain full operational agility to tailor its healthcare models specifically to rural southwestern Iowa. The hospital board is already evaluating future regional healthcare alliances that best match the clinical and financial trajectory of the facility.
