A major step this week in Rock Island County's long effort to shore up its nursing home. The county board voted to hire an outside manager, Health Dimensions Group, from Minneapolis.
County Administrator Dave Ross says the other options for the Hope Creek Care Center in East Moline were to sell it, lease it, or continue operating it, as is. But the county is currently spending 2.5 million dollars a year to keep it open.
Health Dimensions Group already manages other nursing homes in the midwest, and has a lot of experience dealing with Medicare and Medicaid.
Ross says under the 3 1/2 year contract, Health Dimensions will be paid 40,000 dollars a month, with incentives based on its financial management of Hope Creek, plus the occupancy rate and satisfaction of residents.
The new administrator will be an employee of the management company, but the other employees at the center will continue to be employees of Rock Island County.
The new manager officially takes over August lst.
