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Voters approve Memorial Hospital lease to UCHealth

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Written by Dan Weaver on August 28, 2012

Memorial Hospital

​COLORDO SPRINGS, Colo.- Colorado Springs voters agreed Tuesday to lease Memorial to UCHealth, a decision that brings approximately $1.8 billion to the city over time and promises to expand on a proud, century-long legacy of delivering health care to the Pikes Peak region. The historic decision, made in a special election, marks the first change in governance for Memorial since it was acquired by the City of Colorado Springs in 1943.

“We are honored, humbled and excited about the opportunity to welcome Memorial into our family of world-class healthcare organizations,” said Rulon Stacey, president of UCHealth. “For generations Memorial has provided great care in this community. As part of UCHealth, that care will not only continue, but will expand. The passion and quality that define Memorial today will be supported by a broader family—one that is steeped in research, quality and a shared passion for community.”

The growth of UCHealth is becoming a model for independent hospitals and systems across the nation to follow. Today’s changing health care environment makes survival difficult for independent hospitals, but an affiliation with a high-caliber system enables hospitals to improve both quality and efficiency.

“UCHealth is experiencing tremendous growth while keeping our patients as our number one priority,” UCHealth CEO Bruce Schroffel said. “We plan to grow with Memorial into a regional hub that reaches patients and improves health care throughout southern Colorado.”

Although the city will retain ownership of Memorial’s buildings, the organization’s employees and operations will be transferred to UCHealth. Additionally, Memorial Hospital for Children will now be operated by Children’s Hospital Colorado as part of the change.

“Every so often, a once-in-a-generation opportunity comes along for Colorado Springs. By approving the Memorial Health System lease to University of Colorado Health, the voters have made a historic improvement to the city. The long-term financial future of Memorial is secure, there will be better health care provided, and we now have the opportunity for a branch of the CU School of Medicine right here in Colorado Springs. The voters should be commended for this watershed decision,” said Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach.

UCHealth formed earlier this year when Aurora-based University of Colorado Hospital and Fort Collins-based Poudre Valley Health System merged. Both are among the highest-ranked in the nation for quality, technology and employee satisfaction. The system recently entered into a management agreement with Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, Wyoming.

With the addition of Memorial, UCHealth becomes the first Colorado-based health system to span the Front Range. Among the first benefits will be an integrated electronic medical record to be shared by all its patients from Colorado north into Wyoming. The health system is the first of its kind nationally to integrate the strengths of community-based care and academic medicine, a new approach to healthcare that may serve as a model for other communities. UCHealth will begin operating Memorial on Oct. 1, and all MHS employees will become UCHealth employees. At that time UCHealth will become one of the largest employers in Colorado with almost 14,000 employees.

About University of Colorado Health
University of Colorado Health is a Front Range health system that delivers the highest quality patient care with the highest quality patient experience. University of Colorado Health​ combines Memorial Health System, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Colorado Health Medical Group (formerly Poudre Valley Medical Group), and University of Colorado Hospital​ into an organization dedicated to building a healthier community and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Separately, these institutions can continue providing superior care to patients and service to the communities they serve. Together, they push the boundaries of medicine, attracting more research funding, hosting more clinical trials and improving health through innovation.

Contact: Dan.Weaver@UCDenver.edu or Brian.newsome@memorialhealthsystem.com

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