UCHealth

For the system's flagship hospital, see University of Colorado Hospital. For the University of Cincinnati's health system, see University of Cincinnati Health.

39°44′37″N 104°50′35″W / 39.743489°N 104.843068°W / 39.743489; -104.843068

University of Colorado Health
UCHealth
Company typeHealth care system
IndustryHealthcare industry
Founded2012 (2012), in Aurora, Colorado, United States
Headquarters12401 E. 17th Avenue,
Aurora, Colorado
,
United States
Areas served
Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska
Key people
Number of employees
more than 25,000
Websiteuchealth.org

University of Colorado Health,[2] doing business as UCHealth, is a not-for-profit health care system, headquartered in Aurora, Colorado.

The system includes hospitals and facilities throughout Colorado, along with affiliated hospitals in Wyoming[3] and Nebraska.[4] The system includes an academic medical center, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, which is closely affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. It is a joint operating company between the University of Colorado Hospital Authority (a state government agency) and Poudre Valley Health.[5]

History

The University of Colorado University Hospital was originally created on October 1, 1989, as a nonprofit corporation pursuant to an act of the Colorado General Assembly, but the act was declared unconstitutional by the Colorado Supreme Court in 1990.[6][7] It was recreated in 1991 as the University of Colorado Hospital Authority as a special purpose government subdivision of the state.[8] University of Colorado Health was formed on January 31, 2012 (doing business as UCHealth since 2014), as a joint operating company between the University of Colorado Hospital Authority and Poudre Valley Health (of Poudre Valley Hospital).[5][9]

In August 2012, voters in Colorado Springs approved a special election measure to allow UCHealth to lease and operate Memorial Hospital.[10]

In 2015, Adeptus Health announced a partnership with UCHealth to develop emergency care facilities in Denver, Colorado Springs, and northern Colorado, including 12 existing First Choice emergency rooms along with two new ones.[11][12]

In September 2016, UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opened. Located in Broomfield, Colorado, the hospital has 18 inpatient rooms and a 4-bed intensive care unit.[13][14][15]

In February 2017, the system retitled itself as UCHealth.[16] In addition to a refurbished website and logo, it added an app for patients.[16]

In August 2017, a new 51-bed hospital opened in Longmont, Colorado in Boulder County called UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital.[17][18]

In June 2019, the system opened a new hospital in Douglas County called UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital.[19][20][21][22]

In July 2019, the system opened a new hospital in Weld County called UCHealth Greeley Hospital.[23][24]

On December 1 2023, Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo and Parkview Pueblo West Hospital in Pueblo West merged with UCHealth.[25][26]

In November 2024, it was announced that UCHealth had entered in a $23 million settlement with the United States Department of Justice over allegations that it had fraudulently billed emergency department patients with Tricare and Medicare for higher levels of service than were provided. The case was initiated from a UCHealth revenue auditing employee who filed a whistleblower complaint. As part of the settlement UCHealth had no admission of guilt and made a statement afterward denying wrongdoing, saying that they "agreed to the settlement to avoid potentially lengthy and costly litigation."[27][28]

In 2025 UCHealth v. Colorado Department of HealthCare Policy and Financing (case No. 2024CV32363) documents how UCHealth sued HCPF to reclassify Memorial Central Hospital and Poudre Valley Hospital as private non-profit hospitals to improve the CHASE reimbursement terms (together these hospitals were getting back less money than they put in based on percentage of Medicaid patients). The parties settled with an agreement where HCPF will classify the hospitals as private non-profit because CMS and the state constitution allows definition to be based on operator or owner, and in this case UCHealth is the operator (a private non-profit corporation).[29]

Awards and recognition

UCHealth has been ranked as a top hospital in the United States on several occasions. In 2012, it was listed as a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital.[30] Between 2017 and 2021, UCHealth hospitals have been included numerous times on a list of America's Top Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.[31][32][33]

In 2018, the hospital achieved Level 1 Trauma Center Status.[34] Also that year, the hospital received a Comprehensive Stroke Center designation.[35]

In 2021, UCHealth was named the first-place winner in Healthcare Innovation's Innovator Awards program for 2021 for expanded their Virtual Health Center concept to facilitate a sepsis early-warning system with the goal of improving patient outcomes.[36]

In August 2021, Forbes named UCHealth as the No. 1 employer in Colorado.[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ "UCHealth board names Elizabeth Concordia as new president and CEO". UCHealth. May 18, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  2. ^ "UCHealth Research Administration". UCHealth. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  3. ^ "Ivinson hospital in Wyoming now UCHealth affiliate". KRDO. January 1, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  4. ^ "Regional West Strengthens Partnership with UCHealth and University of Colorado Cancer Center | Regional West Health Services". www.rwhs.org. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Pankratz, Howard (January 31, 2012). "Poudre Valley Health, University Hospital join forces". The Denver Post.
  6. ^ HB 89-1142, chapter 193 of the 1989 Session Laws of Colorado, page 995 et seq., enacted 21 April 1989.
  7. ^ Colo. Ass'n of Pub. Emp. v. B. of Regents, 804 P.2d 138 (Colo. 1990).
  8. ^ SB 91-225, chapter 99 of the 1991 Session Laws of Colorado, page 555–589, approved 1 June 1991, effective 1 June 1991.
  9. ^ Zubeck, Pam. "University and Fort Collins hospitals merge". Colorado Springs Independent. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  10. ^ "Memorial Hospital to be Leased to UCHealth". kktv.com. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  11. ^ Rappleye, Emily (April 21, 2015). "UCHealth, Adeptus Health to partner on emergency care". Becker's Hospital Review. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  12. ^ Sealover, Ed (April 21, 2015). "UCHealth to grow with deal for First Choice ER facilities". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  13. ^ "UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opens". beckershospitalreview.com. September 21, 2016.
  14. ^ "UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opens for patients". dailycamera.com. September 21, 2016.
  15. ^ "UCHealth opens in Broomfield". denverpost.com. September 22, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "UCHealth unveils new brand to emphasize patient experience, innovation". www.beckershospitalreview.com. February 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  17. ^ "UCHealth opens 51-bed hospital in Longmont". bizjournals.com. August 31, 2017.
  18. ^ "UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital Opens for First Patient". mcdmag.com. October 16, 2017.
  19. ^ "UCHealth Celebrates Opening of Highlands Ranch Hospital". 9news.com. June 18, 2019.
  20. ^ "UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital officially opens its doors". denverpost.com. June 27, 2019.
  21. ^ "UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital opens". highlandsranchherald.net. June 24, 2019. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "'They have never had their own hospital': UCHealth opens newest Denver-area facility". bizjournals.com. June 18, 2019.
  23. ^ "It's official: UCHealth's Greeley Hospital is now open". greeleytribune.com. July 3, 2019.
  24. ^ "New UCHealth Hospital Opens In Greeley". denver.cbslocal.com. July 3, 2019.
  25. ^ Reutter, Justin (December 1, 2023). "Parkview CEO: Finalized UCHealth merger 'strengthens the care provided to our community'". The Pueblo Chieftain. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  26. ^ Hulting, Aidan (December 1, 2023). "Parkview Medical Center begins a new chapter following UCHealth merger". KOAA News 5. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  27. ^ Ingold, John (November 13, 2024). "UCHealth agrees to $23 million settlement with the feds over false billing accusations". Colorado Sun. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  28. ^ Erblat, Austin (November 13, 2024). "UCHealth settles federal fraud case for $23M after accusations of fraudulent emergency room billing". CBS. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  29. ^ Ingold, John (June 27, 2025). "Judge rules in favor of UCHealth in fight with Colorado over hospital provider fees". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  30. ^ Brimmer, Kelsey (April 17, 2012). "Top 100 Hospitals named by Thomson Reuters". Healthcare IT News. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  31. ^ "University of Colorado Hospital". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  32. ^ "UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  33. ^ "UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  34. ^ Zubeck, Pam. "Memorial Hospital earns Level 1 Trauma Center designation". Colorado Springs Independent. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  35. ^ Emery, Erin (June 4, 2018). "UCHealth Memorial Hospital's New Comprehensive Stroke Center". Doctors Quarterly. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  36. ^ Boyd, Sarah. "The 2021 Innovator Awards First-Place Winning Team: UCHealth". Healthcare Innovation. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  37. ^ Boyd, Sarah. "Best Employees by State:Colorado - UCHealth". Forbes. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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