Hospital Purchases Care Centre

The Pender Community Hospital and Care Centre Management Inc. of Dakota Dunes, SD announces the sale of the Pender Care Centre to the Pender Community Hospital District. The sale is expected to be effective at the close of business on December 31, 2002 provided that the nursing home license can be transferred by the State Department of Health and Human Services.

Care Centre Management Inc. owns and operates ten nursing home and assisted living facilities in Iowa and Nebraska. Care Centre Management has operated the Pender Care Centre since 1981. The Pender Care Centre is a 46-bed nursing home with a four-bed assisted living unit.

The Pender Community Hospital is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital that is owned by the Pender Community Hospital District, a political sub-division that serves parts of four counties; Thurston, Cuming, Burt and Wayne.

"We are pleased to have served the elderly patients in the Pender community for the past twenty-one years" said Tim Boyle, President of Care Centre Management. "We are confident the Board of the Hospital will provide top quality service in the future".

"The entire Board is very excited about operating the Pender Care Centre," said Mike Gatzemeyer, Chair of the Hospital Board. "This has been the top strategic priority of the newly elected Board since June". The other Hospital Board members are Steve Hansen, Vice Chair, Brian Kent, Secretary/Treasurer, Lynette Roth and Larry Kjeldgaard.

"We hope to make use of our knowledge of health care and our reputation in the District to maintain and develop comprehensive services for the aging" said CEO and Administrator, Roger Mazour. "A service care philosophy and implementing synergies between the two facilities will be key".

The Hospital will offer employment to all employees of the Pender Care Centre at substantially the same terms as those provided by Care Centre Management. The Pender Care Centre and the Pender Community Hospital are three blocks apart.