Parkview Health System in Pueblo set to join UCHealth in 2023
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Tuesday, Parkview Health System and UCHealth announced the organizations signed a letter of intent (LOI) for Parkview to join UCHealth in 2023.
The LOI, which was signed on Oct. 7, states both organizations are committed to continuing and strengthening the healthcare services currently offered in Pueblo and throughout Southern Colorado.
According to a press release, UCHealth is set to invest nearly $200 million into Parkview and the Pueblo community in the upcoming years. UCHealth will also continue Parkview's support of nursing and clinical education programs, helping recruit new staff members, and stabilizing Parkview's finances.
“Thankfully, UCHealth has stable finances," said Dan Weaver, UCHealth Spokesperson. "Our goal here in working with Parkview is really to enable them to continue providing the great services that they're providing today.”
UCHealth's investment will also include a donation of $5 million to the Parkview Foundation to establish a long-term fund to support patients, the community, and the hospital.
“It’s no secret that Parkview Health System has faced financial challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among Colorado hospitals, Parkview has one of the highest percentages of patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid with about four out of every five patients being covered by a governmental provider. This, combined with the current economic environment, is challenging the future of the hospital,” said Leslie Barnes, Parkview Health System president, and CEO in a press release. “Joining UCHealth will provide new resources and long-term stability for Parkview’s patients, staff, providers and the broader community, while allowing us to continue caring for underserved patients in our community.”
Officials say UCHealth plans to help develop advanced treatments and clinical trials in Pueblo. They say this will allow more patients from Pueblo and Southern Colorado to receive the inpatient and outpatient care they need closer to home.
According to the press release, due to UCHealth being the state's largest provider of Medicaid, the organization is also committed to continuing Parkview's care for patients who may have more difficulty accessing health care.
Parkview's staff, providers, and leaders will retain their positions and their current benefits will also remain in place for the foreseeable future.
“The nearly 3,000 employees, providers, and leaders here at Parkview will retain their positions and their benefits for the foreseeable future," said Todd Seip, Parkview's Public Relations and Communications Specialist. "That, I think, is kind of a sigh of relief for a lot of people."
According to officials, UCHealth and Parkview will complete their final agreement over the upcoming months with an effective date expected in mid-2023.
"We want to make sure that Puebloans know that tomorrow their same doctors are in the same place, that they will go get their care in the same place, for the foreseeable future," said Seip. "Really, at this point, nothing's changing other than maybe the logo on the side of the buildings. It's a partnership, so that just strengthens not only the the service and what those patients get from their providers, but it also allows us to look forward into the future for what's coming next in the medical healthcare fields, and making sure that we can provide that for southern Colorado as well."
