Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Healthcare Local Hospital topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners flag community dissatisfaction with Banner Health sale; ask Collective Health Trust to report back
Summary
Commissioners and commenters at the Jan. 7 Natrona County meeting described community concern about the sale of the local hospital to Banner Health, cited a poll that found majority belief the sale harmed local care, and asked the county's Collective Health Trust representatives to report on oversight and plans to improve services.
Several commissioners and a public commenter used the Jan. 7 Natrona County meeting to raise concerns about the 2010s sale of the county hospital to Banner Health and to press for an update from the county-affiliated oversight entity.
Commissioner Dallas Laird referenced results shared by state Sen. Charlie Scott that he said showed about 63.6% of respondents believed the hospital sale had made local health care worse. Laird said he had heard from local doctors and residents who are “afraid for their health care” and urged the commission to try to work with Banner to correct problems. He suggested the county consider convening business and medical leaders to identify remedies and, if necessary, to attract a competitor or consider public subsidy strategies.
Laird said the county’s financial position includes “$97,000,000 in the bank” related to the prior hospital sale and noted money in the related foundation as another possible resource to address gaps in care. He said some medical services have high fixed costs and that public support might be needed to sustain them locally.
Commissioner Nick Mason asked the Collective Health Trust of Natrona County — formerly known as the Wyoming Medical Center Foundation — to appear before the commission to report on oversight of Banner Health and on what the trust’s county appointees are doing. Mason named the county’s two trust appointees, Jen True and Eric Nelson, and said he expected Nelson to serve as board chair.
Why this matters: Local hospital operations and oversight affect resident access to services and can influence economic and workforce conditions across Natrona County. Commissioners signaled this issue will be an agenda item for further review.
Next steps: Commissioner Mason requested that the Collective Health Trust and the county’s appointees report to the commission on what they are doing to monitor and improve health care at the Banner-operated facility. No formal action to change governance or funding occurred at the Jan. 7 meeting.
