Riverton, WY – Thanks to a tremendous grassroots community effort, Riverton Medical District is very proud to announce that construction of a new, locally owned and governed hospital will begin December 12, 2024. The new hospital is being created to focus on having essential medical services close to home for over 22,000 residents in the Riverton region.
“This hospital represents our community’s resilience and determination to bring back local health care,” said Corte McGuffey, Chair of the Riverton Medical District Board of Directors. “It’s been both a marathon and a sprint, and achieving this milestone is a testament to the dedication of our neighbors and supporters.”
The new two-story, 71,000-square-foot hospital will be located in Riverton’s Eastern Shoshone Business Park. The hospital and clinic will provide a wide range of health care services to serve local needs, including:
- 13 inpatient beds, including labor and delivery and intensive care services
- Two surgical suites
- Emergency Department featuring a trauma bay and helicopter pad
- State-of-the-art radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy services
- An outpatient clinic for primary and specialty care
Once fully operational, it will offer high-quality primary, acute, emergency, and specialty care services such as trauma, orthopedics, and 24/7 surgery availability. The new, combined hospital and clinic are scheduled for completion in late 2026 and will employ and estimated staff of 140. An additional 90 jobs will be created during construction.
The Riverton Medical District has drawn on the strength of the community to turn this vision into reality.
“The fact that we’ve secured this level of federal, state, tribal, and local support shows how vital this effort is to the health and future of our great community,” McGuffey said. “This collaborative success reflects the deep commitment to keeping health care local.”
Funding for the project includes:
- $37.1 million Community Facilities loan from USDA Rural Development
- $1 million Community Facilities Emergency Rural Health Care Grant from USDA Rural Development
- $15 million in federal grant funding facilitated by the State of Wyoming
- Additional support and contributions from the City of Riverton, Fremont County, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, USDA and private donors, totaling more than $14 million
“The Riverton Medical District Hospital Board has worked very hard to make this vision a reality for the community and should be commended. In a rural setting, having access to good healthcare can be the difference between life and death,” said Glenn Pauley, Wyoming State Director for USDA Rural Development.
Riverton Medical District has an affiliation in place with Montana-based Billings Clinic, providing access to resources and expertise while maintaining local ownership and governance. For the past several years, Billings Clinic has supported the hospital’s planning and development efforts based on the long history of experience they have working with hospitals across Montana and northern Wyoming.
“It is crucial to our mission to be locally owned and locally governed,” McGuffey added. “Our affiliation with Billings Clinic ensures we remain independent while benefiting from their extensive experience in community-governed rural health care.”
“Sustaining and growing health care services locally is a top priority for Billings Clinic,” said Clint Seger, MD, Billings Clinic CEO. “Partnering with Riverton Medical District is an opportunity to keep quality health care local and keep people closer to home for that care. The ability to connect Riverton with the other communities we serve will help increase clinical services and advance patient care in Riverton.”
The Riverton community will have an opportunity to celebrate the momentous occasion of breaking ground on this new hospital and clinic with a cornerstone ceremony planned for the spring of 2025. This event will recognize the collective efforts of the entire Riverton community, from those who gave generously to those who offered encouragement and support every step of the way.
For more information on Riverton Medical District and its mission to strengthen rural health care access, visit rivertonmedicaldistrict.com.
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Cindy McDonald – Riverton Medical District
