Southwest Health System announced it will relocate its North Park Street Clinic to the main hospital campus office and discontinue Interventional Spine services.
“After careful study and consideration, the SHS board of directors and senior leadership team arrived at these decisions to fully utilize the space in the Medical Office Building, increase efficiency and reduce overhead expenses,” states a news release.
SHS is a private nonprofit organization that manages Southwest Memorial Hospital through a long-term lease from the Montezuma County Hospital District, a taxpayer-supported government agency that owns the campus.
“The need for this change is unfortunate, yet the (SHS) Board has a fiduciary responsibility for the health and well-being of our hospital in order to continue to serve our community,” said Shirley Jones, who chairs the Board of Directors of Southwest Health System.
The Park Street clinic provides internal medicine and primary care services from Dr. Erin Henderson and Dr. Robin Richard.
The doctors will relocate to the main hospital campus and Park Street patients will begin seeing their providers at the Medical Office Building on May 8 at their scheduled appointment times.
Patients will receive additional information regarding these changes.
Staff affected by the relocation and closure will have opportunities for reassignment within SHS, and those efforts are underway, said SHS Public Information Officer Chuck Krupa. The Park Street clinic has a staff of seven.
SHS does not own the Park Street clinic building. When the previous practice there closed, SHS hired the medical providers and pays rent on the facility.
The Interventional Spine service, which is located within the hospital main campus, is expected to be discontinued during the summer. It is currently staffed by traveling contract providers on a part-time basis, Krupa said.
SHS will work with interventional spine patients to ensure a smooth transition of care in accordance with the patients’ needs and care plan, according to the news release.
SHS said changes in the health care industry have forced rural and community hospitals like Southwest Memorial to adjust and make difficult decisions in order to continue providing quality care.
“We did not take this decision lightly,” said David Faulkner, SHS Interim CEO. “We sympathize with the patients who will be impacted by these change and are committed to working with them to ensure that they continue to receive quality care here at SHS or with providers who can provide specialized services needed in our region.”
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