Hillcrest Nursing Home to change administrators

McCOOK, Neb. —The Hillcrest Board of Trustees has announced it will make a change in administrators at Hillcrest Nursing Home.

The board, in consultation with Rural Health Development (RHD),announced Monday that Shane Filip, RHD’s Western Regional manager, will be the interim director in place of the current administrator, Brad Cheek. In a press release, the board and RHD “felt like it was time for someone else to help get Hillcrest to the next level.”

Cheek has been with Hillcrest for three years. RHD is the healthcare management firm that hires administrators for the facilities it manages.

The press release said the board and RHD appreciated Cheek’s hard work and with his help and the direction of RHD, the facility’s financial condition has improved dramatically.

The press release states that as interim director, Filipi will be the temporary administrator until a permanent administrator is in place. Cheek will continue to work for RHD in the foreseeable future.

Randy Dean, president of Hillcrest Board of Trustees, declined to comment as to the reason for the change, other than, “All in all, Brad has done a good job and it’s time to take Hillcrest to another level.”

After being contacted by the Gazette, Cheek replied with the written response, “I much appreciate the opportunity to work with RHD, and the Hillcrest Board. As a matter of public record, Hillcrest as indicated has had a dramatic improvement to the operations and financial stability over the past three years since I joined the facility. My wife and I have set roots into the community, and we will miss the friendships we have established, and the wonderful McCook Christian Church. As I transition out I will miss the dear residents that I care so deeply for and appreciate all the staff that provide love, care and understanding on a daily bases to the residents.”

Dean said Hillcrest is in the best financial shape he’s seen since being on the board and that it recently received $889,000 from the Payroll Protection Program. The Payroll Protection program is a forgivable loan by the U.S. government that provides a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. It’s part of the CARES Act relief bill signed into law by the federal government on March 27, 2020, aimed at supporting small businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.