Colorado-based UCHealth will assume administrative responsibility for Laramie’s Ivinson Memorial Hospital in January.
As plans begin for a significant building expansion, Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie is also preparing for a change in management.
A Colorado-based group will assume administrative responsibilities this January.
The hospital will partner with UCHealth, a collaboration between University of Colorado Hospital and the Fort Collins-based Poudre Valley Health System.
UCHealth formed earlier this year and, as of Monday, manages Memorial Health Care System in Colorado Springs.
Hospital President and CEO Carol Dozier said UCHealth will oversee administration duties, such as reaching benchmarks for quality and overseeing programs.
Dozier said the new deal entails greater access to programs and processes, educational opportunities and resources.
“It will make us a stronger hospital. We will be able to bring more specialists in and recruit better physicians,” Dozier said.
The collaboration does not constitute a merger or change in ownership, Dozier said.
“We will still be a separate, independent hospital. Finances will stay totally separate,” Dozier said. “The hospital board will still retain control.”
According to a Q&A released by the hospital, the reason for seeking a partnership is “health care reform and other concerns regarding federal deficit are encouraging hospitals around the country to talk about mergers or collaboration.”
Other reasons for seeking collaboration include cuts in funding and changes in how hospitals will be paid in the future.
The hospital’s board did consider partnering with The Wyoming Solution, a partnership between Cheyenne and Casper that was in the works for a time, but the negotiations fell apart.
In spite of the changes, Ivinson Memorial Hospital plans to continue relationships with the University of Wyoming.
“We will continue our full support of UW and all of its programs,” Dozier said.
UCHealth hospitals include Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Colorado Medical Group, University of Colorado Hospital and Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs.
