Estes Park Health and UCHealth have signed a letter of intent

The board of directors of the Park Hospital District and UCHealth announced Wednesday they have jointly signed a letter of intent for Estes Park Health to join UCHealth in 2025.

“UCHealth is honored that Estes Park Health asked to join our system of hospitals and clinics.

The solid foundation they have built as their community’s hospital will be strengthened as we work toward similar missions of benefitting the communities we serve and improving the lives of our patients and employees,” said Kevin Unger, president and CEO of UCHealth’s northern Colorado region. “We look forward to welcoming Estes Park Health’s 320 staff members and providers while providing financial stability for the hospital and additional resources for the Estes Valley,” Unger added.

Details of the affiliation have not been released, but during a mid-summer interview with the Estes Valley Voice, both EPH Board president and CEO Vern Carda were clear that negotiations for an affiliation rested as much with EPH’s assessment about the affiliate partner as well as the affiliate’s determination about EPH’s suitability to be accepted.

“The biggest thing is measuring the relationship piece. We need to culturally fit, and then there’s financial and other things that we would look at as we get closer to understanding who that party is,” Batey said.

“Prior to any affiliation becoming secured, the deal must be approved by the Colorado Attorney General. Under the Hospital Transfer Act, the AG makes sure that the charitable purpose of the organization merging into another isn’t changed, and that assets that are in the community don’t go outside of the community,” Batey explained.

Unknown at this juncture is the status of remaining outstanding bond payments that were used to expand Estes Park Health’s physical facility in 2006, current EPH employee status and how the move will impact the physician clinic located inside the EPH facility on Prospect Avenue as well as the current local UCHealth Timberline Medical clinic on Stanley Avenue. Also unknown is the effect the affiliation will have on makeup of the local board of directors, and collection of property taxes through the special district known as Park Hospital District.

“We’re excited for the next chapter and believe this is the right direction for Estes Park Health,” said David Batey, chair of the Estes Park Health Board of Directors. “UCHealth truly invests in its patients, its team members and the communities it serves. UCHealth has stepped up and partnered with us to offer specialty care here in the Estes Valley, and they provided much- needed support during the COVID-19 pandemic and the wildfire in 2020. Health care in Colorado’s mountain communities is important, and joining UCHealth will allow us to ensure the Estes Valley continues to have access to excellent care.”

According to a press release issued by EPH, UCHealth and EPH will complete a final
agreement, with an effective date expected in Spring 2025. UCHealth will share more
information with employees and the community during the coming months to ease the transition and answer questions.

A relationship between EPH and UCHealth is not totally new as the local medical facility has used resources through Poudre Valley Hospital and the Medical Center of the Rockies, often transferring patients to one of those facilities for more specialized care than what is available in the community’s local rural trauma center.

Park Hospital District was formed 50 years ago following a vote by area residents. First known as the Elizabeth Knutsson Memorial Hospital, the facility’s name changed to the Estes Park Hospital before most recently landing on the name Estes Park Health.