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NewsJanuary 2, 2019

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Some hope remains a hospital with emergency-room services could operate again in Doniphan. The Ripley County Memorial Hospital board has agreed to authorize board president Freddie Leroux to sign an agreement terminating the lease with SoutheastHEALTH of Cape Girardeau...

Ron Smith

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Some hope remains a hospital with emergency-room services could operate again in Doniphan.

The Ripley County Memorial Hospital board has agreed to authorize board president Freddie Leroux to sign an agreement terminating the lease with SoutheastHEALTH of Cape Girardeau.

The board has been working with attorneys since October to finalize a termination agreement. SoutheastHEALTH had 8 1/2 years remaining on a 10-year lease when it closed the Doniphan hospital Oct. 15.

Leroux said he expected SoutheastHEALTH officials would be ready to sign the agreement most likely within about 10 days.

Completion of the lease termination will allow the RCMH board to regain possession of the hospital’s state certificate of need (operating license) from SoutheastHEALTH. The board discussed the matter during its regular business meeting Dec. 18.

While the license expired Monday, the board will be able to renew under “inactive” status for a period of up to six months.

That will allow more time as the board and representatives from Missouri Highlands Health Care continue to work with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in developing a new “model of operation” that could result in the re-opening of the Doniphan hospital.

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Missouri Highlands Health Care took over operation of the Doniphan Family Clinic on Dec. 1, which also previously was operated by SoutheastHEALTH.

While those chances remain slim and require involvement at both the state and federal levels, the project is being backed by Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, along with Todd Richardson, new director of Medicaid for the State of Missouri.

Both men visited Doniphan on Dec. 11 to tour the facility and also confer with the hospital board and Karen White, CEO for Missouri Highlands Health Care.

With the hospital license still valid, Ripley County can continue to collect the voter-approved 1-cent sales tax levy for operation of the hospital.

Leroux said those funds — which amount to more than $900,000 per year — cannot be spent for operation of the clinic but will be essential should a plan develop in the coming months allowing the hospital to reopen.

Those sales tax funds are not being spent, he said. Under state law, should the hospital license cease to exist, the tax would cease and funds would be submitted to the state treasurer to eventually be returned to Ripley County.

In other action, the hospital board accepted the resignation of board member Jesse Roy effective Dec. 31. Roy began his first term as Ripley County presiding commissioner Tuesday.

Three of the five board seats will be filled during the April 2 municipal election. They include a full five-year term currently held by Carol Wilhelmy. Roy’s four-year term also will be filled along with an unexpired two-year term presently held by Rickie Maples.

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