(Lander, WY) – St. John’s Health closed its clinic in Lander last month in an effort to refocus its resources, with the last day of service scheduled for July 31.
SJH Chief Communications Officer Karen Connelly stated that the four employees at the Lander clinic were offered new positions at the company’s Jackson locations, but they chose to remain in Fremont County.
“They’re amazing individuals,” Connelly said this week. “(They were) awesome employees, and hopefully they’ve found other positions where they’ll continue to be successful, because they were really great team members.”
According to a press release, the decision to close the Lander clinic, which opened in 2019 to address health access concerns raised by Fremont County patients, comes as SJH works to navigate the persistent financial pressures that rural health care systems face and prioritizes long-term sustainability and core service offerings.
“This was not an easy decision,” SJH CEO Jeff Sollis explained. “We are proud of our Lander team members, and it’s been a privilege to care for Fremont County patients in their own community.” We are currently unable to support out-of-county clinic operations due to limited resources.
“Given the financial headwinds facing rural hospitals across the U.S., we need to concentrate on our core services and strategic initiatives.”
Financial challenges for SJH include:
Significantly lower reimbursement — with more patients covered by Medicare — due to changing demographics in Teton County’s patient population
Ongoing reductions in government insurance reimbursement rates
Rising costs for recruiting and retaining qualified staff, intensified by a competitive national landscape for healthcare workers and high housing costs in Teton County
Declines in tax revenues due to recent legislative changes
The need to dedicate more resources to vital service lines, such as behavioral health and the Birth Center’s labor and delivery program
Lander clinic patients who need help finding a new provider should contact their health insurer, the Wyoming Medical Society, or the provider directory.
Medical records can be requested online or by calling (307) 739-7585.
Other changes
In addition to closing the Lander clinic, SJH intends to close summer operations at its urgent care clinics in Teton Village and Grand Teton National Park on September 7 and October 5, respectively, in 2025.
SJH stated in a press release that these locations have consistently low summer patient volumes, prompting the change despite previous efforts to increase efficiency and awareness.
SJH opened the GTNP clinic in 2021, and Teton Village added summer service in 2020, but neither location met the patient visit targets required to sustain summer service.
“The summer operations in Teton Village and Grand Teton National Park incur significant operating losses, despite our targeted marketing and efficiency efforts,” according to the announcement.
Clinic services will be fully operational until the seasonal closure dates, and winter operations in Teton Village will continue in collaboration with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
SJH will also continue to operate its main urgent care clinic at 1415 S. Highway 89 in Jackson year-round, with expanded hours beginning in 2024.
According to the company, the changes to its operations are part of a larger strategic effort to ensure the continued delivery of services in Teton County.
“These changes will allow us to focus on areas where we can provide the greatest value and stability to our community,” Sollis told the crowd. “Our goal is to preserve the long-term health of the system while continuing to meet the evolving needs of our patients.”
As a locally led, independent health system, SJH is committed to adapting to financial realities while maintaining access to essential care and meeting strategic objectives.
