The board of trustees of Lucas County Health Center announced Friday it has approved a new affiliation with UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, a senior affiliate of UnityPoint Health. The agreement, effective Sept. 1, provides hospital management and consultation services and also includes the necessary affiliation services for the health center to maintain its status as a rural critical access hospital. A key provision of the management agreement is that the new Lucas County Health Center CEO will be employed by UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. Interviews are being conducted to fill that position. “This affiliation agreement allows Lucas County Health Center access to a number of services and resources at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, but it is up to Lucas County Health Center to determine which of these services and resources it will utilize,” said Natalie McGee, chairperson of Lucas County Health Center board of trustees.