Prowers Medical Center is visited by President and CEO of Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium

Front row, left to right: Jessica Hays, Prowers Medical Center Compliance Data Analyst; Tina Sandoval, Prowers Medical Center CCO; Karl Nieschburg, Prowers Medical Center Compliance Officer.  Back row, left to right:  Karen Bryant, Prowers Medical Center CEO; Zachary DArgonne EPHC President and CEO; Amber Rider, Prowers Medical Center Director of Quality and Patient Safety; Heath Perdue, Prowers Medical Center Infection Preventionist/Patient Advocate; Kristell Stegman, Prowers Medical Center Information Technology Manager; and Amber Thompson, Prowers Medical Center Executive Assistant

Prowers Medical Center in Lamar recently received notification of a pending visit to their facilities.  Zachary D’Argonne, President and CEO of Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium (EPHC), sent word that in recognition of National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 20, he would be spending November 11 traveling across our region to visit each of the EPHC hospitals.  Accompanying D’Argonne was Mitch Laird, Founder and CEO of Mariana Health. “This day-long, 829-mile journey is meant to celebrate the incredible work you and your teams do, to demonstrate just how vast and interconnected our network has become, and to highlight how devastating it would be for our communities if even one of our rural hospitals were to close its doors” said D’Argonne, adding  “This effort is about visibility, gratitude, and unity showcasing our hospitals, our people, and the Power of Rural that defines EPHC. More than anything, it’s a reminder that we are Stronger Together and together, we’ll continue to protect and strengthen rural healthcare across Colorado’s Eastern Plains”.

The EPHC was founded to unite independent hospitals across Colorado’s eastern plains.  Their mission is to address the unique challenges that rural healthcare faces including financial pressures, resource shortages, etc.  Participating hospitals collaborate, share resources and advocate for supportive policies at the state and national levels. The group’s vision is a future where every rural hospital has the tools, support, and resilience to provide exceptional care to their communities. Rural healthcare challenges include workforce shortages and recruitment difficulties, geographic isolation impacting patient access to care, evolving healthcare regulations and reimbursement models. The EPHC has secured over $3M in funding for rural healthcare projects.

Zachary D’Argonne

D’Argonne and Laird’s busy travel day included brief visits to the following healthcare facilities: Prowers Medical Center, Lamar; AVRMC, LaJunta; SE Colorado Hospital District, Springfield; Sedgwick County Health Center, Julesburg; Wray Hospital and Clinic, Wray; Yuma District Hospital and Clinics, Yuma; Lincoln Health, Hugo; Keefe Memorial Hospital, Cheyenne Wells; Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital, Burlington; Haxun Health, Haxun, and Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke.

By: Barbara Crimond