The Future of Mount View Care Center :: Close, Sell, or Renovate?

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Written by Brad Karger

The nurses, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and support staff at Mount View Care Center (MVCC) deliver the highest quality professional and compassionate care for their patients and residents — as well as their loved ones, as can be seen in the video below.

But the future of North Central Health Care‘s Mount View Care Center is uncertain…

The newly created Mount View Care Center Committee was tasked with charting the future for MVCC that meets the current and prospective needs of the county’s residents while making sure it’s affordable to taxpayers.

The MVCC Committee started by commissioning the consulting group CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) to do a deep dive into current operations to help the county build a 3- to 5-year strategic plan for the facility. The committee got a first look at the consultants’ report on July 1, 2017.

As expected, the report found that there is an awful lot going right at MVCC.

After just a month, the committee is well into the process of reviewing the report, seeking additional information, asking questions of our consultants, and giving some preliminary thought to the best option for the future.

Soon, the MVCC Committee will be seeking community input.

So…
What do YOU think:
CLOSE, SELL, or RENOVATE MVCC?

  • Should the county close the facility? This has been done elsewhere because it constitutes an expense from a non-mandated service.
  • What about selling the facility to a for-profit or non-profit entity? It could potentially save costs associated with employee benefits, like health care and pensions.
  • What if we de-emphasized our traditional long-term care services at MVCC and instead focused on services not provided elsewhere in the community? MVCC has one of the few ventilator programs in the state and an excellent Alzheimer’s unit. The building could be renovated to provide more specialized care.

If the county decides to continue operating MVCC, the facility will require a major building renovation. While some of that cost can be recovered from third-party payments, a renovation would involve a community investment of millions of dollars.

There are no easy answers, but the committee is dedicated to learning about opportunities, assessing risks, and creating an avenue for engaging the community.

If, after reading the report, you have something to offer or something just doesn’t seem right — feel free to contact one of the committee members listed below to share your ideas and experiences.

Mount View Care Center (MVCC) Committee

John Robinson, Chair, Email
Katie Rosenberg, Vice-Chair, Email
Tim Buttke, Email
Jack Hoogendyk, Email
Allen Drabek, Email

You can also wait until the committee schedules a formal opportunity for public input.

The future of Mount View Care Center is too important to be left to just a few people to decide… If you have interest, now is the time to read the report, interact with committee members, and attend one of the committee meetings.

The MVCC Committee will meet Tuesday, September 5, 2017, at 6:30 p.m.
(in the Board Room at North Central Health Care–Wausau Campus, 1100 Lake View Dr.)

We invite you to get involved…
It’s YOUR community.

Brad Karger - Marathon County AdministratorBrad Karger
Marathon County Administrator

In his Administrator role, Brad Karger leads an organization with 700+ employees and an annual budget of more than $170 million. Brad has been in leadership positions with Marathon County for the past 29 years. He is known statewide for generating innovative ideas and solutions to problems, openness and transparency, and a commitment to community service that extends well beyond the normal workday. Email Brad Karger

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