JACKSON, Wyo. — St. John’s Health (SJH) announced on Wednesday, June 25, that it will be closing multiple clinics outside Jackson in the coming months.
According to a statement, SJH will discontinue summer operations at the end of this season at Teton Village and Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) urgent care clinics, and it will close down the SJH clinic in Lander, Wyoming.
The scheduled seasonal closing dates are September 7 for Teton Village and October 5 for GTNP. These two locations have consistently seen low summer patient numbers, despite efforts to boost efficiency and awareness.
“Given the financial headwinds facing rural hospitals across the U.S., we need to concentrate on our core services and strategic initiatives,” CEO of St. John’s Health Jeff Sollis said.
The Lander clinic will have its final day of service on July 31. The clinic was opened in 2019 to address healthcare access concerns in Fremont County. The clinic will cease operations in order to refocus resources.
“This was not an easy decision,” said Sollis. “It’s been a privilege to care for our Fremont County patients in their own community.”
In the statement, SJH said that patients seeking assistance finding a new provider should contact their health insurer, the Wyoming Medical Society or the provider list on the SJH website. Copies of medical records can be requested online or by calling SJH at (307) 739-7585.
SJH will continue to operate the main urgent care clinic in Jackson, in the Smith’s parking lot, year-round. Winter operations at the Teton Village clinic will continue, supported through a partnership with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Financial challenges faced by SJH include lower reimbursement from Medicare and government insurance; rising costs of recruiting and retaining staff; tax revenue declines; and the need to dedicate more resources to vital services like behavioral health and the labor and delivery center.
“These changes will allow us to focus on areas where we can provide the greatest value and stability to our community,” said Sollis.
