, Frequently Asked Questions, North Platte Valley Medical Center
 

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand you might have a few questions about the North Platte Valley Medical Center.
Here are a few answers to common questions. If you still have questions, please feel free to
contact us.

Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a designation given to eligible rural hospitals by the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Congress created the CAH designation through the
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 in response to rural hospital closures during the 1980s and early
1990s. The CAH designation is designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals
and improve access to healthcare by keeping essential services in rural communities

Generally, hospitals must meet the following conditions to obtain CAH designation:
      Have 25 or fewer acute care inpatient beds
      •Be located more than 35 miles from another hospital
      •Maintain an annual average length of stay of 96 hours or less for acute care patients
      •Provide 24/7 emergency care services

Our previous healthcare solutions were not sustainable. Although we were fortunate to be able
to maintain a clinic with a full-time doctor for many years with help from the Corbett Medical
Foundation, that model became no longer viable in the long term. In addition, the previous
nursing home facility was not financially feasible and remained open only because the
management company, HMS, was willing to undertake significant losses while more sustainable
options were explored. Without some action by the community, both facilities were in danger of
being closed.

  • Primary care clinic
  • 24-hour walk-in emergency care
  • Advanced imaging, including X-ray, ultrasound, digital mammography, DEXA Scan, CT, and mobile MRI capability
  • 5 acute care hospital beds
  • 20 extended care beds
  • 1-2 full-time doctors
  • 2-4 mid-level providers
  • Physical and occupational therapy
  • Visiting specialists
  • Onsite laboratories
  • Inpatient pharmacy
  • Telemedicine services

A solution to the financial issues facing the nursing home facility in Saratoga was one of the primary drivers in motivating this critical access hospital initiative. Visit our Extended Care page to learn more about this part of the North Platte Valley Medical Center.

The hospital is owned by the Platte Valley Healthcare Project, a community-based 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization much like the one used to run Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie. To
learn more about our board members, CEO and mission, visit the About Us page.

 

We appreciate your financial contribution of any size. Visit our Donate page to learn more.