The head of the Blessing Health System hopes people can sense a new energy at the hospital in Keokuk. Blessing took control of the Keokuk Area Hospital at the beginning of the month.
CEO Maureen Kahn said healthcare is important for a thriving economy -- especially in rural communities such as Keokuk. "You may need to have clinics, you may need to have an emergency room, you may need to have a hospital. You need to have a varied approach to what types of physicians you have there," Kahn said. "It all depends on the size of the rural community…how close they are to other facilities."
Kahn said rural areas are seeing an influx of people from large cities now that they're able to work remotely.
Kahn said Blessing will be working with employers, schools, and the people in Keokuk to make sure they have access to the healthcare they need. She also said Blessing will be involved in the community.
Kahn said she's impressed with the workers at the hospital. "They've got an unbelievably dedicated workforce, people that have been there for thirty (or) forty years," Kahn said. She also praised the community for supporting the workers, saying around 100 people showed up for their ribbon cutting ceremony on March 1st.
Kahn said around 125 people currently work at the hospital. She said it's too early to know whether they'll be adding to the workforce. However, she did say they will be hiring some people to work at a clinic they will be opening on Main Street this spring. Kahn said the clinic will offer Orthopedics, Cardiology, Occupational Health, and other services. She said the clinic should open towards the end of April.
Blessing Health is based in Quincy. It also operates a hospital in Pittsfield (IL), and several rural clinics in Missouri.
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