Commissioners approve Blue & Company contract for Marshall County healthcare assessment

Friday, September 25, 2026 at 2:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The Marshall County Commissioners voted Monday unanimously to approve a contract with Blue & Company to conduct a comprehensive healthcare market assessment, a move President Stan Klotz says is a critical first step toward addressing the county's healthcare needs and boosting economic development.

The contract, valued at $30,000 to $35,000, will fund an analytical study examining healthcare services utilization by Marshall County residents, patient outmigration patterns, and potential partnership and facility strategies. The assessment is expected to take about six months to complete.

Klotz said he has been working behind the scenes, with the other commissioners' approval, to examine healthcare issues in the county. He reported having met with six companies that have expressed interest in bringing their businesses to Marshall County but said they would want to see the results of a health assessment to understand local needs before committing.

"Having good options for healthcare has a direct impact on economic development in the county," Klotz said.

Blue & Company will conduct a focused market assessment of healthcare utilization by Marshall County residents. The analysis will cover inpatient and outpatient utilization, market share, patient outmigration, competitive dynamics, provider availability and alignment, ambulatory services, and payer mix.

Klotz acknowledged that fixing the county's healthcare issues will take time — an estimated three to five years. However, he said having the survey in hand will give the county a "leg-up" because the data can be shared with prospective healthcare providers.

Commissioner Jesse Bohannon expressed concern that some businesses may be trying to direct patients to other hospitals by limiting services, effectively pulling customers to facilities outside the county. He went on to say that Marshall County may simply not have enough money-making opportunities for someone to operate a hospital within the county.

Klotz noted that there is enough money in this year's Commissioner budget to cover the required 50% down payment without needing to go to the county council. The remaining $17,500 will come from the 2027 budget.

The commissioners voted 3-0 to approve signing the contract with Blue & Company for the health assessment and the prepay request.