Powell Valley Healthcare and Billings Clinic to explore affiliation
(Powell, Wy Nov. 8, 2018)- During a special meeting of the Powell Valley Healthcare Board of Directors, Powell Valley Healthcare approved a letter of intent to start the process of exploring an affiliation agreement. Powell Valley has been considering options for partnership with larger health care organizations for several years to enhance medical services and have a foundation to adapt to the evolving health care industry.
“We reached out to Billings Clinic, because they are very well known in Big Horn Basin for their quality of care, partnerships and outreach services in our rural communities,” said Terry Odom, Powell Valley Healthcare CEO.
“They are positioned to give us the support to provide next level care to the people of Powell and our surrounding communities through mutually beneficial synergies. We are rural health care, and we need the experience of an organization that knows rural medicine.”
Billings Clinic has 12 regional affiliates across Montana and Wyoming. Some include a shared electronic medical record, human resources, compliance services, quality and patient safety work, physician recruitment, and collaboration to enhance specialty care services locally.
“We have had a presence in the Big Horn Basin for years,” said Dr. Randall Gibb, Billings Clinic CEO. “An affiliation with such an important community healthcare organization for this area will allow us to bring more coordinated care to those we already serve. We will be able to get patients back to their home community faster and with more stream lined communication and coordination.”
With the rising cost of the delivery of health care, rural health care organizations across the country are forming partnerships within larger systems to get the resources needed to stay financially viable.
PVHC’s Board of Directors voted to support the letter of intent, citing the benefits for the future of health care delivery. A collaborative committee will be established to formalize the affiliation agreement and carve out what it will look like. The process is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.
