03/06/2026
๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐?
๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ (๐๐๐๐), ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐. These changes include the modification of some service lines and a workforce reduction. To bring clarity and transparency to the situation, we seek here to answer the most frequently asked questions.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง?
Due to the remote location of our hospital and nature of how healthcare is administered in the U.S., Teton Valley Health Care has consistently faced three significant challenges to remaining profitable.
1. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement is insufficient to cover the increasing cost of providing healthcare.
2. Increasing delays and barriers to getting paid in a timely manner by insurance companies.
3. Increasing cost of labor, especially when having to fill staff vacancies with contracted labor.
All rural healthcare providers face these same challenges. In addition, our communityโs cost of living requires us to pay higher wages to attract and retain staff at Teton Valley Health Care.
๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง?
No. TVHC has very recently secured sufficient philanthropic support to ensure continued operations while hospital leadership and the Board of Directors determine the best option for long-term sustainability.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐r?
TVHC leadership and the Board have taken several proactive steps, including:
1. Conducting extensive discussions with local and state elected officials to explore emergency support and potential solutions.
2. Securing philanthropic commitments that can support operations while long-term options are evaluated.
3. Holding initial exploratory conversations with hospitals and hospital groups.
4. Potential future pathways include: becoming a taxing district, remaining independent, or aligning with another healthcare entity.
๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ?
Yes. While the Board has not yet decided the priority level or role that alignment with another healthcare entity may play in the final plan, several organizations have expressed interest and are continuing conversations. This process will take multiple conversations and due diligence over several months to reach a point of making an informed decision.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐โ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ -๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง?
The Board is currently working through a thoughtful process to define TVHCโs primary goals, secondary options, and the overall long-term plan. Once that work is complete, the plan will be communicated openly with the community.
๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐?
Yes. We are seeing encouraging signs. Patient volumes are increasing. Unusual and one-time expenses are now behind us. Cost-control effortsโincluding workforce restructuringโare beginning to show positive results.
๐๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ?
No. Our goal is to continue delivering the same services we are offering now and bring back infusion services as soon as it is possible. We aim to find a long-term solution that gives us the stability and the structure to meet the needs of this growing community, well into the future.
๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ?
While we cannot discuss individual HR matters, we can share the broader context. These have been difficult and uncertain times for TVHC. During periods of organizational stress, it is not unusual for employees to make decisions based on what is best for themselves and their families. We respect those decisions wholeheartedly and appreciate their service. Their absence will be felt.
๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
No, we do not have any plans for additional layoffs. In fact, we have been able to bring back a few of the employees whose jobs were previously eliminated.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐?
A representative from TVHC will be presenting monthly updates at Seniors West of the Tetons (SWOT) the last Wednesday of each month at the Community Center in Driggs. That gathering allows us to share current information and respond to questions from the public. In addition, we are providing weekly updates through our social media platforms and plan to share these same community updates on our website at tvhcare.org so information remains accessible for everyone.
Again, we acknowledge the concerns and frustrations that have arisen over the past few months. Please know we are determined to find solutions that will strengthen our ability to provide excellent health care to the people of Teton Valley and beyond.
Gratefully,
Leianne Everett, CEO
TVHC Board of Directors
