• Expansion takes place while similar hospitals eliminate services
Star Valley Health is preparing for the official opening of the expanded Alpine Clinic on Friday, Jan. 11.
The new addition to health care for the Star Valley community, located in Alpine, will be a hybrid-operating room, 24-7 Emergency Department and Cardiac Catheterization Lab.
Travel time will be reduced for the Alpine community with the addition.
“For decades, residents in the lower valley had to travel sizable distances to either Afton, Jackson, or Idaho Falls to have access to emergency and surgical services,” Star Valley Health CEO Daniel Ordyna explained for SVI Media. “These high-end healthcare services are now conveniently located directly in Alpine in a beautiful, state of the art facility. It’s a game changer for the Star Valley.”
Ordyna explained the changes are focused, not just for Alpine but for the Star Valley area.
“Most people don’t realize the that predominant patient population in Star Valley are baby boomers and Medicare recipients. In the next 10 years, this population is only going to grow. We are not just skating to where the puck is now, but where it is going to be in the next decade,” he said. “That’s why Star Valley Health is making these multi-million dollar investments in cardiovascular, orthopedic, and primary care services. It’s all about preparing for the future.”
Ordyna noted the changes with Star Valley health are unique in a changing picture for rural health care.
“While other rural hospitals are declining and contracting services, we feel fortunate that we are expanding,” he concluded. “It means better access to our patients and their families and many more high-paying jobs in the valley. There are significant challenges that accompany growth like this but it’s a good problem to manage.”
