“Thank you for coming to our hospital. We need you, and we will continue to need you. Unfortunately, we’re in the business of misery. None of us get our paychecks unless you get sick,” said Vern Carda, the president of UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center at a gathering of more than 60 people at the hospital on Tuesday morning.
Other leaders from UCHealth and Estes Valley Medical Center shared a more positive perspective. While the first six months since Estes Park Health was acquired by the state’s largest nonprofit healthcare system have involved significant adjustments for staff, the acquisition has brought new clinical services, expanded specialty support, and stronger operational resources to the Estes Valley.
During the one-hour-long, public forum held May 19 in the UCHealth Meeker Conference Room at Estes Valley Medical Center, officials reviewed data from the state’s Hospital Transformation Program, outlined community benefits programs, and described how the affiliation is intended to strengthen the long-term sustainability of health care in Estes Park.
The meeting drew more than 60 local residents and community stakeholders, including Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall, who sat in the front row and asked questions about the pace of integration and the future of healthcare services in the community, including the local Salud Family Health Center, which faces economic uncertainty due to federal funding problems and rising healthcare costs.
Salud, which is classified as a Federally Qualified Health Center, relies on a vital mix of federal operational grants, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, and local community support. In Estes, the clinic provides primary care, dental care, and mental health care to some 1,700 uninsured and underinsured residents in Estes Park – nearly one-third of the population of the Town of Estes Park.
Focus on Sustainability
Kevin Unger, president and CEO of UCHealth’s Northern Colorado Region, said the organization’s primary goal is to maintain local health services while creating a financially sustainable model for rural care.
“We are very proud to partner with Estes Valley Medical Center, and our goal is to create a sustainable model to provide care in this community for as long as at all possible,” Unger said.
UCHealth now operates 15 hospitals and employs about 37,000 people statewide. The system sees nearly 3 million patient visits annually and works with approximately 7,000 physicians and advanced practice providers.
Because UCHealth is a nonprofit organization, it reinvests its revenue into patient care and community programs rather than distributing profits to shareholders. Unger said the system provided approximately $1.6 billion in community benefits last year, including charity care, educational initiatives, and support for Medicaid patients. He said UCHealth would otherwise pay an estimated $425 million in taxes annually.
Estes Valley Medical Center by the Numbers
The Estes facility remains a busy critical access hospital despite serving a small mountain community. Each year, the hospital records approximately 63,000 outpatient visits, nearly 700 inpatient and observation cases, and 12,000 Medicaid-related visits. It also employs 318 people.
Hospital Transformation Program Results
The hospital is performing well in Colorado’s Hospital Transformation Program, a Medicaid quality initiative administered by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing that aims to improve care coordination, boost patient outcomes, and reduce health care costs.
The work relies on partnerships with community organizations, including Salud Family Health, Crossroads Assistance Ministry, and other social service providers. Since the Dec. 1 transition to UCHealth, the hospital has added services. These include 24/7 telestroke consultations with board-certified neurologists, interpretation services in more than 350 languages, expanded radiology hours, and a diagnostic imaging project that is underway.
In June, EMPC will complete a conversion to UCHealth’s complete EPIC medical records system.
Three community benefits programs highlighted
Several speakers described UCHealth programs offered in Estes, including the Aspen Club, an education and support program for adults 50 and forward.
The Healthy Hearts and Minds program, which teaches students about heart health, mental wellness, and healthy habits, has been a part of the Estes Park Schools since 2007. The program currently serves students at Estes Park High School, and plans are to expand it into elementary and middle schools.
Healthy Harbors is a trauma-informed care coordination program that supports children and families facing mental health and other health care challenges.
Integration Expected to Take Two to Three Years
It is expected that full integration of the local hospital into UCHealth will take 24 to 36 months, spanning compensation and reporting structures, technology, corporate culture, and procedures. Ten percent of staff are taking advantage of UCHealth’s Ascend career advancement programs, which include educational and training opportunities.
One person asked if UCHealth would bring back hospice and home health care. Unger said UCHealth does not provide those services, but if it could find the right partner to provide them in the Estes Valley, it would work with them.
Peter Reuman, a pediatrician, said he was concerned about what he described as dysfunction between the Park Hospital District Board and the UCHealth board. Reuman urged UCHealth officials to improve communication by giving the Park Hospital Board a clearer understanding of the financial status of Estes Park Health’s acquisition by UCHealth and EPH’s financial performance over the past five years.
Reuman said better communication and a shared understanding of those issues are essential if both boards are to work together effectively to solve problems facing the community.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Hall suggested that UCHealth consider holding community presentations like this quarterly.