IU Health Starke Hospital Offers Prize for Donating Blood on Thursday

IU Health Starke Hospital is offering a one hour massage to a lucky blood donor this Thursday.

“The American Red Cross is bringing their bloodmobile to Starke hospital this Thursday, January 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.,” said David Hiatt, Vice President of Operations at IU Health Starke Hospital. “We’re going to have it in front of the hospital and we would like to invite members of the community to come and donate blood. To show our appreciation, we are putting together a raffle. Anybody that donates blood on Thursday will be entered in to win an hour-long massage at IU Health Starke Hospital.”

Long-Time Starke County Hospital Board Member Resigns from Position

Ed Hasnerl

Longtime Starke County Hospital Community Board Member, Ed Hasnerl, recently notified hospital officials that he would be stepping down from the position January 1st, 2012.

IU Health Starke Hospital official, David Hiatt, commented recently on the outstanding job Mr. Hasnerl did as a member of the board.

“There’s not much we can say about Ed that’s not positive,” said Hiatt. “Ed has been with the hospital as long as I’ve been here. I think he started serving on the Board of Advisors in 1997 and he’s always been just a staunch supporter of the hospital and really contributed a lot of his time in making sure that healthcare in Starke County is better than anything else around. We couldn’t have gotten to where we are without Ed and it’s hard to say in words how much appreciation we have for the time and effort that he’s put in to helping the hospital.”

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IU Health Starke Hospital Working Group Discusses Capital Needs

IU Health Starke Hospital
The working group selected to discuss the sale of I.U. Health Starke Hospital to I.U. Health LaPorte met recently. Representing Starke County on the committee are Commission President Dan Bridegroom, Council President Mark Smith, and Councilmen David Pearman, Marvin McLaughlin, and Tony Radkiewicz. Hospital Community Board members Ben Bennett, Dr. Walter Fritz, and Sandy Hansen are also on the committee.

I.U. Health LaPorte is the lessee of the local facility, and according to David Hiatt, who explained the offer to local officials in October, five to seven million dollars in capital needs are required at the hospital.

“We have significant needs that must be addressed now before we start planning for the long-term facility, or what is going to happen long-term,” said Hiatt.

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IU Health Starke Hospital to Give up Hospital Fund if Sale is Complete

IU Health Starke Hospital

Starke County officials were approached about the sale of IU Health Starke Hospital to IU Health LaPorte Hospital this week.

One point that hospital spokesman, David Hiatt, pointed out to the commissioners and council members was that IU Health LaPorte Hospital, if successful in purchasing the local hospital, would have no interest in receiving the Save the Hospital Fund that has grown over the years to almost $5 million. The fund, that captures lease payments, was originally set up when Principal leased then-Starke Memorial.

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Short Term Capital Needs to be Addressed by IU Health Starke Hospital, County Officials

IU Health Starke Hospital

There’s more today on the proposed sale of IU Health Starke Hospital to IU Health LaPorte Hospital. It was reported that the offer to purchase the hospital is for $1.00. Money-wise, there’s more to the offer.

Hospital spokesperson, David Hiatt, mentioned that Starke County is already on the hook for approximately $7.4 million that IU Health LaPorte Hospital inherited with the signing of the lease in 2006. If they decided to not renew the lease in 2016, the county would be responsible for that much money. If the hospital were to be sold to IU Health LaPorte Hospital, that money would be waived.

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