A hospital under construction in Wyoming plans to enter a clinical partnership and management agreement with Billings (Mont.) Clinic, according to local news station KPVI.
The hospital is in Riverton, a small Wyoming town that is building its own facility after the only other hospital there stopped several services, including delivering babies and some surgeries.
The existing hospital in Riverton is owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health, which merged Riverton's only hospital with another one 30 miles away in Lander, Wyo., and began consolidating services.
Residents concerned about how the cutbacks would affect their community launched an effort to create the Riverton Medical District and build the hospital.
The new Riverton facility would join 16 other healthcare facilities in Montana and Wyoming that are affiliated with Billings Clinic.
Corte McGuffey of the Riverton Medical District called signing a letter of intent to partner with Billings Clinic "a mammoth victory."
"They are a nationally recognized health system with a laser focus on advancing care in local communities in Montana and Wyoming," Mr. McGuffey told KPVI. "They were our first choice as a partner, offering unique experience that will keep our hospital locally owned and governed."