Teton Valley Health Care terminates Bingham Memorial position

The board of directors of Teton Valley Health Care has unanimously voted to terminate Teton Valley Hospital’s position in a conversion agreement and recommended that Bingham Memorial Hospital and Teton County do likewise.

In a news release, the board say it decided a termination of the agreement was in the hospital’s best interest and that it no longer reflects the situation and the transaction originally contemplated.

The action comes after heavily attended public forums focused on the hospital’s future management direction, including a management partnership with Bingham Memorial Hospital in Blackfoot.

“We appreciate Bingham Memorial Hospital’s service and support of the Hospital. However, at this time, as we look for ways to ensure both the immediate and the long-term stability of the Hospital, it is clear that the Hospital and community will benefit from a rigorous approach to the selection of an Electronic Medical Records system and a thorough understanding of potential affiliations. We must, with the community’s help, ascertain what services are most valued and what strategic partnerships will increase access to quality, affordable care for our local families. The Board of Directors and I will continue to listen,” said Keith Gnagey, CEO, Teton Valley Health Care.

The Hospital is talking to other local hospitals, including Bingham, to determine what types of affiliations would benefit both the Hospital and its patrons. TVHC Board Chairman Steven Dietrich said, “Our goal of executing on our restructuring plan remains undeterred. We are confident in our current management team’s ability to carry out the plan, whose sole purpose is to make this a perpetually sustainable hospital.”