The report details SageWest hospitals’ positive impact on the health and well-being of the Fremont County communities it serves.
Fremont County, Wyo. (April 10, 2024) – SageWest Health Care published its community benefit report and economic impact for the 2023 calendar year. This yearly report outlines the many ways SageWest’s hospitals and clinics in the Lander and Riverton areas positively contribute to Fremont County and spotlights how SageWest continues to support the health and well-being of the communities it calls home.
“This report illustrates the tremendous impact our hospitals have on the residents and communities we serve in Fremont County,” said John Whiteside, CEO of SageWest Health Care. “Our focus is caring for our patients and delivering quality, compassionate care and the hope and healing they seek. But in providing the services you expect from our hospitals, we also are one of the area’s largest employers, taxpayers, and significant community charity contributors. We embrace our role as a partner in the health and well-being of Fremont County, and it shows in this report and every day in our facilities.”
SageWest Health Care’s 2023 community benefit report highlights its hospitals’ continued efforts to meet the growing healthcare needs of its communities by recruiting new providers, expanding service lines and continually investing in its facilities and healthcare technology. For example, in 2023, SageWest added 12 affiliated providers in needed areas such as Emergency Services; Family Medicine; Ear, Nose and Throat; Orthopedic Surgery; Women’s Health; Internal Medicine/Hospitalist; Pathology; and Gastroenterology. SageWest also made nearly $1 million in capital improvements, including the purchase of surgical power equipment; a pass-through cooler and heated cabinet; a fire alarm panel upgrade; surgical grounding pads; a treadmill; a portable X-ray machine; ultrasound equipment; infusion pumps; and a vaccine refrigerator, among other things.
Additionally, SageWest Health Care provided more than $20 million in uncompensated and charitable health services to those in need, demonstrating its continuous commitment to ensuring everyone has access to care, regardless of their ability to pay.
SageWest Health Care is devoted to creating environments where providers want to practice and employees want to work. In 2023, the hospital distributed more than $33 million in salaries, wages and benefits for its approximately 300 employees, and contributed nearly $100,000 in professional development and tuition assistance so its employees have the opportunity to learn and improve the care they provide their patients.
The report shares several examples of how SageWest Health Care is continually seeking ways to make a positive impact in the communities it serves, extending far beyond the physical walls of its facilities. Last year, the organization paid nearly $4 million in provider, payroll, property and sales taxes, displaying its commitment to fiscal responsibility to help boost the area’s economic well-being. The hospitals are also honored to have continued its support of local activities and organizations that contribute to the community, including 307 Baseball Babe Ruth, Boys and Girls Club, Child Development Services, Community Entry Services, Farm and Ranch Days, Fremont County Employment Expo, Fremont County Fair, Help for Health Hospice, Injury Prevention Resources, Key Club, Kiwanis, Lander Care and Share Food Bank, Lander Project Graduation, Northern Arapaho Indian Rodeo, Raiders Legion Baseball, Rendezvous Balloon Rally, Riverton Food Storehouse, Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative, Wyoming Outdoor Weekend and Expo, and Wyoming Stock Grower’s Association.
“SageWest is proud to serve these communities,” added Whiteside, “whether that’s through caring for the sick or supporting local organizations working toward the same goal of a better Fremont County.”
SageWest Health Care’s complete 2023 community benefit report is available online here.
