In December 2025, the community hospital in Estes Park officially became part of UCHealth. The creation of UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center (EVMC) involved fundamental changes that would expand care delivery for patients, providers and the community.

Lidia Burreson, RN, nurse manager for the EVMC acute care unit, stepped up to the challenge of guiding positive change for the small hospital that had remained independent since its start 50 years earlier.

“When we first looked at what had to be accomplished, we realized we could easily become overwhelmed with the volume of tasks ahead of us,” said Burreson. “We had to look at every aspect of the hospital, from policy and procedure to assisting staff transitioning into a bigger organization, all while continuing to provide the best care possible.”

Based in a small mountain community of about 5,800 year-round residents, many of the hospital’s tight-knit staff of about 300 people had never worked for another hospital. The transition connected EVMC to 14 other hospitals, hundreds of clinics and about 37,000 new employee colleagues.

“We started prepping for the transition at least a year in advance,” said Burreson. “And then it all became real last summer with the anticipation of the change in the fall of 2025.”

EVMC staff consistently compliment Burreson on her willingness to step in wherever needed, putting patients first and always maintaining a positive attitude.

“Lidia’s leadership has truly been central to our integration efforts, and I could not function in my role without her continual hard work and support,” said Ben Hetrick, RN, MS, BSN, interim chief nursing officer for EVMC. “She covers shifts across the facility, ensuring patient care continues seamlessly, and is always the first to respond when needed.”

Driving change comes with a unique set of challenges in any organization, but in the first five months following affiliation, there were no resignations within clinical nursing. In the first employee survey since EVMC became part of UCHealth, 79% of EVMC respondents said they intend to stay with UCHealth for at least the next 12 months.

“The level of commitment to EVMC and the patients we serve speaks volumes about how well the staff was prepped for this transition,” said Burreson.

Burreson emphasized that even small changes, such as adjusting scrub colors, can have a meaningful impact on staff morale. She acknowledged the significance of the change—and the team identity associated with scrubs—by openly addressing concerns and modeling the change herself. Burreson helped the staff see how scrub colors help align with the larger organization while also maintaining pride in their team’s identity.

As changes continued to roll out, Burreson took the opportunity to support her team through the prioritization of leading by example.

“By consistently stepping in to support shifts and being readily available on the unit, she created real-time learning opportunities for staff adapting to new systems and workflows,” said Hetrick. “Her willingness to work alongside the team as they cared for patients allowed her to provide immediate guidance, answer questions in the moment and reinforce best practices in a practical and approachable way.”

That hands-on teaching method built confidence and trust across the team and emphasized a strong, collaborative nursing culture.

“Today, I am fortunate to work alongside an exceptional team of colleagues,” said Burreson. “With the expanded resources made available through our affiliation with UCHealth, we are well positioned to grow our service lines and enhance the care we provide. This partnership allows us to broaden our impact within a community hospital setting while also delivering more advanced care to higher acuity patients.”

Burreson continues to maintain a seamless and grounded patient care philosophy at EVMC. She keeps the team focused on maintaining high-quality care while working through any change that may come their way.

 

The visual companion to our 2026 Nursing Year in Review showcases the print edition’s visual storytelling with connections to all of the articles.