PVHP buys care center

The Platte Valley Healthcare Project (PVHP) has agreed to assume ownership of the Saratoga Care Center for $1, the non-profit recently announced. The purchase also includes Laramie Peak Therapies, which is housed at the facility.

“It’s important for people to understand why we are doing this,” said Will Faust, chairman of the PVHP. “When the North Platte Valley Medical Center is complete, it will contain the nursing home, the therapy center and the clinic in addition to the hospital. Private donations that were made to the NPVMC are held in local banks in separate construction-related operating reserve and debt service accounts. 

To ensure business continuity for the nursing home and therapy center, separate donor commitments and a second round of PPP loans have been secured, in addition to existing revenue streams.”

The move will change nothing for the patients or staff at the Saratoga Care Center or Laramie Peak, because the existing management company, Health Management Services (HMS) of Billings, Montana, will remain in place.

The lease on the care center building is currently held by HMS which helped save the troubled nursing home when it encountered financial difficulties in 2015. PVHP will now take on the responsibility of fulfilling the lease although HMS will remain responsible for revenue and expense management. Human resource management as well as details such as procurement of supplies and maintenance of the physical facilities will also be handled by HMS.

“This move will unburden HMS of the financial responsibility and will ultimately give the nursing home and Laramie Peak additional protections under the 501(c)3,” Faust said. “It will also make the transition into the new hospital easier when it happens. This is a win-win for the patients, staff and community as a whole, because the ownership change also introduces new funding source opportunities to PVHP for healthcare equipment and services growth. We believe this step is positive for all concerned.”

Faust said the PVHP expects to close on the final contract within two months.