MUSCATINE, Iowa — Muscatine-based Unity Healthcare has signed a six-month management-services agreement with Trinity Regional Health System, John Beckey, chairman of the Unity board, said this afternoon.

Rock Island, Ill.-based Trinity will provide management support and consulting services that will encompass strategic planning, billing and collections, according to the agreement, which goes into effect today.

Edward R. Maahs will join Unity as interim chief executive. He has more than 35 years of experience, and most recently was interim CEO of Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

A search is under way  at Unity for a both a permanent CEO and chief financial officer, Beckey said.

The hospital has been without a permanent CEO since Karmon Bjella resigned in September to take a similar position with a hospital in Michigan.

Jill Kordick, who had been interim CEO at Unity since November, is returning to her position at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where she is administrator of Clinical Outreach Services.

Turn to Wednesday’s Muscatine Journal for more details about this story.