STRUGGLING to retain more than one doctor is no longer a challenge for the Keith & District Hospital, following a new partnership with Adelaide private hospital Western Hospital and Tristar Medical Group.
The community-owned Keith Hospital almost closed in 2011 when a funding cut was proposed.
The proposed cut would have made the hospital financially unsustainable, and for three years a high-profile struggle to keep the hospital open ensued.
Keith Hospital Board chair Janet Allen said the hospital would have closed had it not been for an extraordinary effort by the Keith and broader SA community to keep the valuable health service alive.
"It would have been devastating for the local community if the hospital was forced to close," she said.
"The Keith Hospital is strategically situated on the busy Dukes and Riddoch highways and provides essential services to the local rural community, as well as the travelling public.
"It is also one of the largest employers in the district, with more than 55 staff employed across the 24-hour Accident and Emergency Department, primary health GP services and acute hospital care.
"The hospital, in many ways, is the cornerstone of the community. And in its 60th year, it continues to provide security of care for those living and working in the district."
A "Save the Keith Hospital" campaign raised more than $580,000 to keep the hospital viable during the funding uncertainty, and subsequent funding agreements have been negotiated with Country Health SA.
As part of those agreements, the Keith Hospital Board committed to find a more sustainable management structure and Western Facility Management Services, who run Western Hospital, stepped in to offer their services.
WFMS chief executive officer Kathy Nagle said they had heard about Keith Hospital's plight four years earlier, and were keen to offer assistance to the local GP practice.
"But after spending time at the hospital, it became apparent that we could assist in a much greater capacity," she said.
On October 1, 2014, the day-to-day management of the Keith Hospital was handed from Country Health SA to WFMS.
Under the two-year agreement, the Keith Hospital remained a community-owned, not-for-profit, private hospital with a Board of Directors elected by the community.
WFMS provided a CEO and director of nursing, along with a network of specialist doctors and a breadth of experience in healthcare management.
Ms Allen said while the change had proved difficult at times, the partnership was growing positively.
"WFMS are experienced private hospital managers and provided a team that can bring best practice management to Keith Hospital, including clinical, financial, HR and asset and project management," she said.
Mrs Nagle said the new Keith Hospital Management agreement had been a challenge to management and staff at Western Hospital, but in a positive way.
"Obviously the challenges have been related to changes which we needed to implement in regard to gaining efficiencies," she said.
"Not being perceived as local has also been a challenge, so we have been studious in learning the history of the hospital and staff relationships, while trying to implement new systems.
"We feel we have gained a partner and a group of staff who are willing to commit to the changes which needed to be adopted to ensure that Keith Hospital survives."
Since taking over management, Mrs Nagle said WFMS had "implemented strategies and systems that work and were understandable".
"A three-year strategic plan has been approved by the Keith Hospital Board which outlines the vision of the board to ensure sustained viability along with growth," she said.
"Efficiencies have been gained in centralising all administrative and executive functions, which eliminates the replication of work and the additional labour costs.
"A second GP has also been a result of the partnership with Keith Hospital. We believe this has been the most beneficial change for the community that we could have assisted with."
