Agreements Information

Agreements

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Park Hospital District

Background

On October 16, 2024, the Park Hospital District (PHD), which operates Estes Park Health (EPH), and UCHealth announced they signed a letter of intent for EPH to negotiate joining UCHealth in 2025. Since then, important discussions and information sharing has happened, including community outreach.

By joining UCHealth, EPH will strengthen and sustain the health services it currently offers for patients and visitors in the Estes Valley while also increasing access to advanced treatments. The affiliation will enable EPH to operate more efficiently, bring new resources and services for employees, gain assistance in recruiting staff and providers to Estes Park, and strengthen clinical affiliations, helping to reduce overall health care costs.

Next steps

On Thursday, May 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Estes Park Town Hall, the Park Hospital District held a meeting to introduce a resolution to approve the agreements that will allow for EPH hospital operations to join UCHealth. During this meeting, public comment was heard and directors were present to answer questions. All, including EPH staff, Estes Valley residents and visitors of Estes Park, were welcome to attend. Links to the resolution and agreements are found on this page.

A second board meeting occurred on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Estes Park Town Hall. The public had an additional opportunity to comment and ask questions at this meeting, and the PHD Board of Directors considered voting on whether or not to approve the resolution for approval to move forward with the agreements. Following public and board comment, the PHD board unanimously agreed to approve the resolution to have EPH operations join UCHealth. The agreements were signed by the PHD Board of Directors later that evening.

The UCHealth Board of Directors held a meeting on May 20, 2025, and agreed to approve the agreements. UCHealth signed the agreements on May 21.

The District and UCHealth will now seek review of the agreements by the Colorado Attorney General as required by Colorado state statute. Following the AG review, leaders will work towards an effective date, at which time EPH’s hospital operations will become part of UCHealth.

Frequently asked questions

Transaction

Why does EPH seek an affiliation with UCHealth?

  • The financial environment has been extremely challenging for hospitals in recent years, especially for independent, critical access hospitals like EPH. Expenses for staff members, supplies and services have increased rapidly, while reimbursements from insurance companies and governmental payers have not kept pace. The Colorado Hospital Association says, currently, 70% of Colorado hospitals have unsustainable operating margins. EPH has had a negative operating margin for three of the past four years. Financial challenges have already forced EPH to reduce or close some services.
  • To maintain the delivery of health care in the community, EPH asked UCHealth to strengthen their current affiliation with the health system. This will allow EPH and its clinics to join UCHealth and to be better equipped to provide resources and long-term stability for its patients, staff, providers and the broader community.

Does EPH already have a collaboration with UCHealth?

  • EPH and UCHealth have collaborated for many years in ways that have benefited patients, the Estes Park community, surrounding towns and EPH’s staff and providers.
  • EPH adopted UCHealth’s advanced electronic medical record and other IT systems, which reduces IT expenses, while launching programs to improve quality and safety for patients.
  • UCHealth is partnering with EPH to provide access to many key specialties in Estes Park including oncology, ENT, urology, cardiology, sleep evaluations and a sleep lab, and surgery backup coverage.
  • When EPH made the decision to transfer obstetric care, UCHealth hired EPH’s OB-GYN and has continued to provide women’s care services locally. Most pregnant EPH patients now deliver at UCHealth hospitals, and training has been provided to ensure high-quality care.
  • UCHealth served as a good resource for EPH during the 2020 wildfires that threatened Estes Park. UCHealth staff and ambulances were ready to help evacuate patients from EPH as needed and safely transport patients to other hospitals.

What are key aspects of the agreements?

When will additional schedules and exhibits be provided?

  • Many of the schedules and exhibits are simply not finished at this time. Those are scheduled to be completed over the coming weeks.
  • There is also confidential information in some of those documents, including personnel matters, employment contracts and protected health information. Some of these documents will not be shared publicly.

Do these documents get submitted to the Colorado Attorney General prior to AG’s review of the affiliation?

  • Once signed, the agreements will be sent to the attorney general as part of the review process.

When will the name “UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center” begin to be used?

  • The EPH Board of Directors asked that the hospital’s name be changed to UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center to reflect the care provided throughout the entire valley.
  • While the name will officially change on the effective date of the transaction, it will take time to change signage and update logos and names on various materials.

What happens to the Estes Park Health Foundation? Will funds raised by EPH Foundation stay at EPH?

  • Estes Park Health Foundation will continue to engage the community and obtain philanthropic support for health care services in the Estes Valley.
  • All funds currently held EPHF, as well as any funds raised through the EPHF, will remain for the benefit of EPH.
  • Most UCHealth hospitals are supported by a dedicated foundation, and in all cases, the wishes and directions of donors are respected.

Employment

Will EPH employees, physicians and advanced practice providers move to UCHealth?

  • After standard pre-employment screening, EPH’s team of more than 300 staff, providers and leaders will retain their positions, and their years of service will continue to be recognized.
  • EPH employees will move onto UCHealth’s benefits and retirement plans, with open enrollment expected in fall, 2025.

Will Timberline Clinic and its medical staff be affected?

  • The providers and staff at UCHealth Primary Care – Estes Park will continue to care for the Estes Valley as they do today.

Park Hospital District

As a Park Hospital District resident, will I keep paying taxes to support the hospital?

  • The Park Hospital District, a special tax district of Larimer County, was formally established in 1968 to help fund the construction and operations of the first hospital in Estes Park. In 1975, the Elizabeth Knutsson Memorial Hospital opened.
  • Since then, voters have approved an annual property tax levied on taxable property in the Park Hospital District. The tax is critical to the financial viability of EPH.
  • On May 2, 2023, Park Hospital District and Estes Valley residents overwhelmingly (80.3%) voted to authorize EPH to enter negotiations with another nonprofit health system and pledged District revenues to support those agreements.
  • As the partnership moves forward with UCHealth, the tax remains in place and will continue to be used locally to support EPH, its services and the community. Without the support of the district, EPH is not financially viable.
  • UCHealth is proud to honor the community’s continued support of the hospital.

Board of Directors

How will the board of directors change?

  • Members of the current Park Hospital District Board of Directors were elected to oversee the Park Hospital District, which remains in place.
  • Because a new, nonprofit UCHealth affiliate – UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center – will be formed, a new board will be created to oversee the hospital. It will have a maximum of 7 members – 2 nominated by the Park Hospital District, 2 appointed by UCHealth and the remainder composed of community members.
  • The Park Hospital District Board of Directors will continue, but its responsibilities will change as oversight of EPH moves to the new hospital board.

What role will the new board of directors fulfill?

  • As is the case with boards of directors at other nonprofit hospitals, the new board of directors at UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center will oversee their medical staff credentialing, and patient quality and safety while maintaining a close connection to this community. They will advocate for the health of employees, providers and the greater Estes Valley, support strategic planning efforts and make recommendations to UCHealth’s Board of Directors in the best interest of the Estes Valley.

With the shift in board composition and structure, will board meetings continue to be available to the public?

  • Park Hospital District board meetings will continue to be public.
  • The new Estes Valley Medical Center board will not be public, but it will provide an annual report to the public and the district outlining activities at the hospital and how tax revenue has been invested to benefit patient care and services here.

Miscellaneous

If a Community Health Needs Assessment is completed, will it include both year-round and summer residents? What about visitors?

  • Nonprofit hospitals must follow specific IRS requirements as they conduct community health needs assessments. The assessments include research to identify rates of disease and behavioral health conditions including cancer, suicide, obesity, trauma, diabetes and many others. Surveys will be conducted to solicit input from physicians and community organizations. This will help inform a complete picture of the community’s health needs and identify community health priorities for Estes Park Health.