ALAMOSA – San Luis Valley Health (SLVH), the region’s largest hospital, and Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado), one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals, announced Wednesday they have entered into a Care Alliance, which is a collaboration across the organizations to provide children and their families with the highest level of coordinated medical care as close to home when possible.
“We’re very excited about the Care Alliance with Children’s Colorado,” said Antonio Gurule, San Luis Valley Health’s director of clinics. “This will improve our ability to deliver pediatric care right here in the San Luis Valley. It is very much in keeping with our ‘trusted partner in health’ philosophy. One important aspect of the Care Alliance is the Children’s Colorado Regional Clinics which will be located in the pediatrician clinic space at San Luis Valley Health.”
The formal agreement establishes a standing Care Alliance Steering Committee between the two hospitals. The committee’s work will include streamlining care coordination to help reduce costs, improve quality, support collaborative case management, and knowledge sharing. Of key significance, the alliance means that local kids and their families will have increased access to some of the best minds in pediatric care for their children and young adults without having to travel.
In addition to providing this care, the professional team from Children’s Colorado will also provide mentoring, education, and training across care teams at SLVH to enhance delivery of pediatric care.
“We are humbled and proud to partner with San Luis Valley Health to bring increased access to top-ranked pediatric care closer to home for families in the San Luis Valley,” said Jennifer Knotts, Children’s Hospital Colorado’s vice president of partnerships and business development. “Founded more than a century ago, our mission is to improve child health. This new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to care for Colorado children regardless of where they live by eliminating barriers and increasing access to the knowledge and care of our pediatric experts in partnership with San Luis Valley Health.”
The only dedicated pediatric health system within a seven-state region, Children’s Colorado partners with community hospitals across a 1,000-mile-radius that comprises Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico to bring pediatric specialty care closer to home. This new partnership marks the 11th Care Alliance for the system. The Care Alliance goals are to support community hospitals across the region by elevating and enhancing pediatric care in communities and, when needed, to streamline care to Children’s Colorado when a higher level of care or more specialized need arises for a family. Each Care Alliance is uniquely tailored to meet the specific needs of the community.
"Children’s Colorado has and continues to help us support our most critically ill and complex patients, but this collaboration signals a focus on prioritizing and enhancing pediatric care in the San Luis Valley,” said Dr. Amarilys Rojas, pediatrician, SLVH Pediatrics Clinic. “As the leading medical facility in the region
with the most on-staff pediatricians, it is our duty to provide comprehensive care and be the medical home for the valley's children. This is especially true for complex patients and families where it is extremely difficult for them to be away from home and/or work when their child has medical or surgical needs. This collaboration is vital to the advancement of pediatric medical care in the region and serves as proof that both San Luis Valley Health and Children’s Colorado are putting kid’s health first, now and in the future.”
