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    A new partnership launches for Healthcare in Fremont County

    A prescription for progress
    Prominent healthcare providers from around Fremont County assembled on the campus of Central Wyoming College yesterday to begin to look at opportunities to foster better care and economic growth in the community. Facilitator Lindsey Woolsey, Woolsey Group led the group in a productive conversation to identify the challenges we face as a community. Public-sector representatives sat around the perimeter of the room, with strict instructions to only watch and listen, for now.

    Taking the scalpel to traditional methods
    At first blush, it may seem an impossible task to bring seemingly competitive healthcare providers in a region together to explore partnership arrangements. However, this is no ordinary operation. This approach follows a nationally successful Next Gen Sector Partnership (NGSP) model that aims to position industry professionals as the leaders in economic growth, with the public sector (economic developers, educators, and workforce professionals) supporting their efforts. It’s a reversal from how such partnerships have historically operated, with the public sector frequently directing industries toward their own vision of the future. NGSP asks companies to do something they wouldn’t normally do: sit down with their competitors to discuss mutually beneficial opportunities for progress.

     

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    Natalie Korell, Westward Heights, lends her support to partnerships that can bring improved healthcare.

    A promising prognosis
    The two-hour session kicked off with support expressed by several key influencers in the local healthcare space. Specifically, Alan Daugherty, CEO of Sage West Healthcare, Tami Reed from Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health, Natalie Korell of Westward Heights Care Center, Ryan Hedges from the Lander Medical Clinic and Kathleen Laidlaw representing Fremont County Public Health. The group of Fremont County industry representatives keyed in on five categories to address within our local Healthcare current practices:

    • Telehealth – an opportunity for rapid growth
    • Transportation – improving access to services locally
    • Prioritize Community Needs
    • Workforce Recruitment – not just physicians
    • Better aligned with Education

    Towards the conclusion of the session, participants were asked to volunteer to champion one or more of these opportunities by participating in a conference call and an upcoming additional meeting.

    A more holistic approach?
    This initiative has been spearheaded by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and specifically, it’s Development Council, which is comprised of public and private individuals from across the state. They have guided the formation of these regional workforce groups for the same purpose of targeting a strategic business sector in their region and bringing industry to the table to lend their perspective on how the Public sector can assist with their growth. “As a local businessperson [Pitchengine], it’s very encouraging to see how such a seemingly small change in perspective can drive such unexpected and constructive partnerships. I’m optimistic that this will benefit healthcare in our community and drive growth in our local economy,” shared Fabian Lobera, Wyoming Workforce Development Council member and Chair of the subcommittee for NGSP.

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