Parkview Health System and UCHealth have signed an agreement to bring the two health care providers together. The partnership will provide investments to strengthen the health care services currently offered in Pueblo and throughout southern Colorado. The organizations signed the definitive agreement on Jan. 24, following the signing of a letter of intent on Oct. 7, 2022.
“Helping residents of Colorado access the care they need, close to home, is one of UCHealth’s strategic priorities,” said Elizabeth B. Concordia, UCHealth president and CEO. “Together, Parkview and UCHealth will support patients in Pueblo and throughout southern Colorado while also expanding access to advanced treatments and clinical trials.”
As Parkview and its employees join UCHealth in mid-2023, UCHealth will begin investing nearly $200 million into Parkview and the Pueblo community including:
- A $5 million donation to the Parkview Foundation to establish a long-term fund to support patients, the community and the hospital.
- Assistance with recruiting excellent staff and physicians.
- Support for nursing and clinical education programs.
- Capital investments to upgrade Parkview’s facilities, equipment and technology.
- Continued partnerships with local universities and community colleges to develop Colorado’s health care workforce.
- Help to stabilize Parkview’s finances and continue the services offered today.
“In recent years, health care services in Pueblo and across southern Colorado have been negatively impacted by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Leslie Barnes, Parkview Health System president and CEO. “We are excited to join UCHealth because this partnership will strengthen the care provided in our community, ensuring that patients and residents here will continue to have access to high-quality care provided by our dedicated physicians, advanced practice providers and staff members.”
Parkview already uses UCHealth’s electronic medical record and other IT systems, and this expanded partnership will build upon an already successful collaboration.
Parkview and UCHealth will maintain a local board of directors for Parkview made up predominantly of Pueblo citizens who will continue to provide oversight of its services and quality, and Parkview’s local leadership team will ensure patients receive the best possible care. Parkview also will continue to be the largest employer in Pueblo. Parkview’s staff, providers and leaders will retain their positions, and their current benefits will continue for the foreseeable future.
UCHealth and Parkview anticipate the partnership to be completed in mid-2023 following customary regulatory approvals.
As a nonprofit health care system and the state’s largest provider of Medicaid, UCHealth is dedicated to the communities it serves. In fiscal year 2022, UCHealth provided more than $1.1 billion in total community benefits including $388 million in uncompensated care, earning it the nation’s No. 2 ranking for social responsibility by the Lown Institute.
About Parkview Health System
Founded in 1923, Parkview Health System in Pueblo, Colorado, offers general acute health care and health specialty services. As a private, non-profit organization, Parkview is licensed for 350 beds and provides a broad range of health care services including a verified Level III Trauma Center along with exceptional comprehensive cardiac and orthopedic care. Parkview Health System is the leader in all service lines in our service area. As a vital health care source, Parkview’s service area includes Pueblo County and 14 surrounding counties, which together represent 370,000 total lives.
Parkview Health System is the largest non-government, nonprofit, private sector employer in Pueblo County with approximately 3,000 employees and provides a skilled medical staff of over 370 physicians. Parkview’s annual payroll contributes $232 million to the economy, triggering a strong impact for the local community.
About UCHealth
UCHealth is an innovative, nonprofit health system that delivers the highest quality medical care with an excellent patient experience. UCHealth includes 29,000 employees, 12 acute-care hospitals and hundreds of physicians across Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska. With University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus as its academic anchor and the only adult academic medical center in the region, UCHealth is dedicated to providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Offering more than 150 clinic locations, UCHealth provides extensive community benefits and pushes the boundaries of medicine through advanced treatments and clinical trials, improving health through innovation.