News
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Ontonagon Memorial Hospital finalizes sale to Aspirus Oct 30, 2007 |
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The Ontonagon Village Board secured the future of local health care Monday night when it approved the sale of Ontonagon Memorial Hospital to Aspirus health system of Wausau, Wis. Leaders from both organizations will transfer ownership from the Village of Ontonagon on November 1 during a signing ceremony at 3 pm today at the hospital. Aspirus assumed interim administration duties in January for the hospital, a licensed 25-bed critical access facility, which had been in financial crisis. In June the Village Board signed a letter of approval to turn over ownership of the hospital to Aspirus. Aspirus will invest more than $4 million in building improvements, physician recruitment, equipment upgrades and additional services. “This is a wonderful day for everyone involved,” said Mike Gutsch, Chief Executive Officer. “This will secure the future of the hospital, a vital component of the community providing annual salaries and benefits worth more than $7 million to 155 employees. Just as important, it will ensure the future of accessible, excellent health care in Ontonagon.” Along with new ownership, the hospital will take a new name: Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital. It will continue to provide 24-hour emergency care, cardiac care, physical therapy, surgery, laboratory, and imaging services such as radiology, CT, ultrasound and nuclear medicine. The campus is also home to a Family Practice Clinic and a 46-bed skilled nursing facility. Beginning November 1, the new web address will be www.aspirus-ontonagon.org. Aspirus is a non-profit, community-directed health system based in Wausau. With 3,400 employees, Aspirus serves people in 14 Wisconsin counties and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan through a series of affiliated hospitals; home health care; pharmacies; hospice care; critical care and helicopter transport service; a durable medical goods company; a nursing home; a large volunteer corps; an affiliated physician network; a philanthropic and research foundation; and an extensive clinics network. |
