This week is National Hospital Week. National Hospital Day was established in 1921 as a way to bring back trust in hospitals following the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918. This day of recognition turned into a week of recognition in 1953 to coincide with Florence Nightingale’s birthday and to honor her role in revolutionizing hospital care. 

Memorial Regional Health, formerly The Memorial Hospital, has been part of this community since opening its doors in September 1950. Our hospital came into existence because community members recognized how vitally important it was to have access to a hospital within the community in which they lived. The community raised money, the school district donated land and the hospital was built. Several years after the hospital was built, it was transferred to the county to ensure that it would remain a public hospital.

While the size of the hospital and number of services have changed, the level of commitment to our community remains the same. Memorial Regional Health remains one of only four county hospitals in Colorado and continues to be independent and locally governed, something that is becoming more and more rare in health care.

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Our investment in this community is ongoing. The American Hospital Association published a study about the impact hospitals have in a community. The study estimated that for every hospital job, an additional two jobs are supported in the community, and every dollar spent by a hospital supports $2.30 in additional business activity. 

Let me put this into perspective. MRH employs 375 people. Roughly 82% of our 375 employees live in Craig and Moffat County. In 2022, MRH spent $21.4 million on salaries for our staff, and 82% of $21.4 million is $17.5 million. Conceivably, this $17.5 million supported an additional $40.3 million in additional business activity in our community. Our employees live here, spend money in our stores and restaurants, pay taxes, and buy goods and services.

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MRH also partners with and supports many community organizations, including hiring an athletic trainer to support the Moffat County School District’s athletic programs, providing a scholarship fund for Craig’s Parks and Recreation programs, and contributing to organizations that focus on the youth in our community, like the Boys and Girls Club and the Moffat County Fair. Each year MRH donates more than $35,000 to organizations whose missions benefit our community.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through patient-centered health care and service excellence. We know that this will require a continued focus on financial stewardship and quality outcomes. We believe that it is our obligation to remain a viable health care resource for this community. 

Jennifer Riley is the CEO of Memorial Regional Health.