JACKSON HOLE, WYO – St. John’s Medical Center (SJMC) announced yesterday a new agreement with Sublette County Rural Health Care District (SCRHCD) that will expand the 2015 affiliation partnership between the two entities.
The two medical communities will now jointly develop a management agreement to provide administrative guidance for SCRHD by SJMC to assure success with shared goals in quality of care and sustainability.
St. John’s operates a full-service hospital, living center, and eight primary care and specialty physician practices based in Jackson, Wyo. SCRHCD is a rural health care district in Sublette County, Wyo., that operates two primary care clinics with urgent/emergent care capability as well as the county’s EMS service.
The two medical communities have historically had many patients in common due to the availability of excellent primary care and urgent care services in Sublette County and specialty medical care and advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment and technology at SJMC.
“This growing partnership reflects a longstanding tradition of working together to benefit patient care,” said St. John’s CEO Paul Beaupre. “It’s a great model for rural health care because it helps keep healthcare local and improves the sustainability of the organizations involved.”
The two-year-old affiliation has already achieved many successes, including improved coordination of medical care for patients who require the services of both health systems, including ease of scheduling and transmission of information. In addition, the two entities have worked closely together on initiatives for quality improvement, development of services, purchasing agreements, and information technology. In the past 18 months, the partnership has resulted in the introduction of mammography and screening colonoscopy in Sublette County, as well as regular cardiology and diabetes clinics.
“We are excited to take our lengthy relationship with SJMC to another level. Their commitment to quality patient care, not only in their home area, but in Sublette County as well, makes this an easy and very comfortable step,” said Laura Clark, chairman of the SCRHCD board.
