CRMC, Wyoming Medical Center Launch Partnership Planning

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Cheyenne and Wyoming Medical Center in Casper  have started a process to actively explore a partnership to create a Wyoming-based integrated healthcare system, to be known as the Wyoming Solution. The boards of trustees of both facilities voted Tuesday morning to move ahead with the process during a conference call among the two boards. Cheyenne Regional Medical Center C-E-O Dr. John Lucas says his vision of the partnership would allow both hospitals to maintain separate boards, with another board which would oversee the overall operations of the partnership. Lucas says both hospitals would also retain their current names. Lucas says the partnership would have several advantages, including the ability to partner with regional and national healthcare organizations. He says he is hopeful the partnership, if it is finalized, might help reduce the current 40 percent share of Wyoming resident's healthcare spending which is currently being spent out of state. Lucas also says it is possible other Wyoming hospitals may join the partnership at some point.