After three years of discussion, Powell Valley Healthcare, a critical access hospital, will become an affiliate of Billings Clinic in Montana.
CEO Terry Odom said the affiliation with Billings Clinic will help the hospital in the long run.

"Their educational opportunities for our providers, being part of a bigger system that offers what I call back office support, access to group purchasing organization for our supplies and equipment, more legal and HR support, that kind of thing," she said.

Odom added nothing will change on the ground for patients.

"There's a misperception that when you affiliate with someone that your patients have to go to the tertiary facility, so to Billings clinic that will not occur," Odom said. "Control will remain in Powell."

Odom said Powell Valley Healthcare will start transitioning to Billing Clinic's medical record system in April.

Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Kamila Kudelska, at kkudelsk@uwyo.edu.