Cooper County Memorial Hospital in Boonville is in trouble. It lost more than $1 million dollars last year and has been running a deficit since 2007.
Auditors say that it will probably have to close within 12 months if the situation does not change. Allen Waldo is CEO of the hospital. He said board members are currently looking into the possibility of partnering with a larger system.
“We’re to the point right now where we’re beginning to analyze who might be out there that might be of a good partnership or good combination for us, " Waldo said. "Our goal as a board is to stay as independent as possible, so we can keep local health care local.”
Waldo said the administration is currently interviewing two consulting companies that have helped other small, community hospitals partner up with a larger system. Cooper County hospital has seen a drastic reduction in its acute care admissions -- from more than 800 in 2005 to just 200 last year.
