Nampa, Idaho-based Saltzer Health, a physician group that's part of Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health, is planning to shut down or sell by March 29 due to financial and economic challenges.
Saltzer has 450 employees and 11 locations, according to its website, that will be affected should it be forced to close or sell.
"Like many health systems across the country, Saltzer has faced significant financial pressures as the rising cost of providing care, driven by inflation, has increased since the pandemic. Saltzer leaders say vital contracts and other market relationships did not progress as had been hoped for, making it financially challenging," a Jan. 18 Saltzer Health press release said.
Saltzer, which was acquired by Intermountain in October 2020, is actively negotiating purchase of its operations with healthcare companies and is "optimistic" that a sale of the physician group can be achieved.
"If those discussions are successful, employees at medical operations included in any sale may have the opportunity to continue their employment with the new organization," the release said.
The physician group plans to work with caregivers and patients to ensure care is continued during the transition, and will contact and provide patients with information about their options moving forward.
News of the potential closure comes after Saltzer discontinued five of its urgent care clinics last June, along with ambulance transport services and its physical therapy program, due to low patient usage. The closures affected around 67 employees, according to a Saltzer Health press release from June 8, 2023.