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; 13 years ago (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, United States. 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

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The UCHealth system was founded in 2012 with the merger of the University of Colorado Hospital and the Poudre Valley Health System.[6] 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.[7][8] It was recreated in 1991 as the University of Colorado Hospital Authority as a government agency.[9] University of Colorado Health was formed on January 31, 2012 (doing business as UCHealth since 2014), as a joint operating company between the authority and Poudre Valley Health (of Poudre Valley Hospital).[5]

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

In September 2016, UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opened. Located in Broomfield, Colorado, the hospital has 18 inpatient rooms and a 4-bed intensive care unit.[11][12][13]

In February 2017, the system retitled itself as UCHealth.[14] In addition to a refurbished website and logo, it added an app for patients.[14]

In August 2017, a new 51-bed hospital opened in Longmont, Colorado in Boulder County called UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital.[15][16]

In June 2019, the system opened a new hospital in Douglas County called UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital.[17][18][19][20]

In July 2019, the system opened a new hospital in Weld County called UCHealth Greeley Hospital.[21][22]

On December 1 2023, Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo and Parkview Pueblo West Hospital in Pueblo West merged with UCHealth.[23][24]

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."[25][26]

Awards and recognition

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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.[27] 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.[28][29][30]

In 2018, the hospital achieved Level 1 Trauma Center Status.[31] Also that year, the hospital received a Comprehensive Stroke Center designation.[32]

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.[33]

In August 2021, Forbes named UCHealth as the No. 1 employer in Colorado.[34]

See also

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References

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  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. ^ Zubeck, Pam. "University and Fort Collins hospitals merge". Colorado Springs Independent. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  7. ^ HB 89-1142, chapter 193 of the 1989 Session Laws of Colorado, page 995 et seq., enacted 21 April 1989.
  8. ^ Colo. Ass'n of Pub. Emp. v. B. of Regents, 804 P.2d 138 (Colo. 1990).
  9. ^ SB 91-225, chapter 99 of the 1991 Session Laws of Colorado, page 555–589, approved 1 June 1991, effective 1 June 1991.
  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. ^ "UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opens". beckershospitalreview.com. September 21, 2016.
  12. ^ "UCHealth Broomfield Hospital opens for patients". dailycamera.com. September 21, 2016.
  13. ^ "UCHealth opens in Broomfield". denverpost.com. September 22, 2016.
  14. ^ a b "UCHealth unveils new brand to emphasize patient experience, innovation". www.beckershospitalreview.com. February 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  15. ^ "UCHealth opens 51-bed hospital in Longmont". bizjournals.com. August 31, 2017.
  16. ^ "UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital Opens for First Patient". mcdmag.com. October 16, 2017.
  17. ^ "UCHealth Celebrates Opening of Highlands Ranch Hospital". 9news.com. June 18, 2019.
  18. ^ "UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital officially opens its doors". denverpost.com. June 27, 2019.
  19. ^ "UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital opens". highlandsranchherald.net. June 24, 2019. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  20. ^ "'They have never had their own hospital': UCHealth opens newest Denver-area facility". bizjournals.com. June 18, 2019.
  21. ^ "It's official: UCHealth's Greeley Hospital is now open". greeleytribune.com. July 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "New UCHealth Hospital Opens In Greeley". denver.cbslocal.com. July 3, 2019.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ Ingold, John (November 13, 2024). "UCHealth agrees to $23 million settlement with the feds over false billing accusations". Colorado Sun. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  26. ^ Erblat, Austin (November 13, 2024). "UCHealth settles federal fraud case for $23M after accusations of fraudulent emergency room billing". CBS. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  27. ^ Brimmer, Kelsey (April 17, 2012). "Top 100 Hospitals named by Thomson Reuters". Healthcare IT News. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  28. ^ "University of Colorado Hospital". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  29. ^ "UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  30. ^ "UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  31. ^ 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.
  32. ^ Emery, Erin (June 4, 2018). "UCHealth Memorial Hospital's New Comprehensive Stroke Center". Doctors Quarterly. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  33. ^ Boyd, Sarah. "The 2021 Innovator Awards First-Place Winning Team: UCHealth". Healthcare Innovation. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  34. ^ Boyd, Sarah. "Best Employees by State:Colorado - UCHealth". Forbes. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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