MEEKER | Six Colorado hospitals, including Pioneers Medical Center (PMC), were identified as being at “immediate” risk of closure for financial reasons in a Denver Business Journal article last week. The article was based on a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Several of the named hospitals, including PMC, as well as the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA), have issued statements in response.
In the statement from PMC, CEO Liz Sellers said, “Pioneers Medical Center is driven by our purpose: to provide high-quality, individualized care. Part of that care is providing an exceptional patient experience during every stage of treatment. Despite the challenges critical access hospitals face, Pioneers Medical Center is not in immediate danger of closure. Our strategic expansion of service lines, in response to the evolving needs of our community, has resulted in a positive operating margin, demonstrating our financial stability and growth. Our unwavering commitment to our mission is at the heart of Pioneers Medical Center’s operations. This commitment guides every action and decision, ensuring high-quality healthcare services to our community.”
According to the statement from CHA, “Reports like this one by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform highlight some of those known challenges that Colorado hospitals have been facing. However, it does seem that the data is based on static information from a point in time and without context or other information that may inform its rankings. It also doesn’t take into account the myriad of actions a hospital takes when dealing with unsustainable finances in order to stay open and continue providing services for the communities they serve.”
CHA’s statement emphasized that while hospitals are dealing with financial and operational challenges, Colorado hasn’t seen a hospital close in recent years. A fact attributed that to “strong leadership, community support, and partnerships with the state legislature and health agencies.”
