Our Boards

The Montezuma County Hospital District (MCHD), the Southwest Health System, Inc. (SHS) Boards of Directors, and the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation Board work together to provide healthcare to the community.

Southwest Health System

Southwest Health System, Inc. was established in 1996 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. The Board of Directors is appointed in December of each year at the annual meeting. The issues that remain the same and continue to add value to the Hospital through the formation of Southwest Health System, Inc. are, in part, as follows:

• As a non-governmental entity, SHS can operate in other states such as Utah, New Mexico and Arizona which are in our service area but outside the Hospital District boundaries
• SHS has the ability to enter into agreements to provide service with private businesses and individuals
• SHS can act quickly to secure goods and services outside the requirement to obtain competitive bids
• As a private corporation, it does not operate under the Sunshine Law
• As a private corporation, it need not be concerned with its activities regarding the Dillon Rule
• SHS allows a more flexible operating model for health care providers
• Recruitment of physicians can be accomplished in a private setting since board members can meet with potential candidates without the need to call a special meeting of the board
• Strategies to increase market share can be discussed privately in order to gain a competitive edge

Learn more about the Southwest Health System Board here.

Montezuma County Hospital District

The Montezuma County Hospital District was formed in 1975 enabling it to collect tax dollars for facilities and construction, and to provide quality health care for our community.

The Montezuma County Hospital District is a political subdivision of the State of Colorado governed by Statute and operating under Constitutional constraints. In 1995 the Hospital Administration and the Montezuma County Hospital District Board of Directors investigated the formation of a non-governmental hospital entity that could operate the hospital in a much less restricted environment and could be both competitive and diverse.

The Board of Directors recognized limitations they operated under with regards to then-current hospital industry changes and our actual service area that encompassed much more than just Montezuma County.

MCHD Board decided to establish a not-for-profit corporation completely separate from the Hospital District. They would lease the hospital facility known as Southwest Health System, Inc and are involved in construction and facilities management for the organization.

Learn more about the Montezuma County Hospital District here.

Why Have Two Boards?

The health system and community benefit by having both the Hospital District and Southwest Health System involved in providing quality health care facilities and operational oversight.

Additional benefits are:

• Provide funding for necessary expansion projects at the lowest possible cost
• Operate the hospital as a private enterprise, in a very competitive environment, without the limitations of a Governmental Hospital
• Use taxes collected by MCHD to purchase medical equipment at the hospital which would benefit the community
• SHS can move rapidly to develop strategies to increase market share which might involve agreements to provide health services with a private business or physician group
• MCHD as a Governmental agency and SHS as a not-for-profit corporation have access to various grants and funding not available to both. This increases the chances of finding funds for health care
• Tax revenues collected by MCHD are available to help other medical endeavors
• Shared oversight of quality health care for our community

Contact us for more information about opportunities to become involved with both boards! Email contact@swhealth.org to learn about board openings and elections.

Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation

The purpose of the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation is to support Southwest Health System, Inc. in providing high-quality, accessible health care for the people of Montezuma County and surrounding areas, and to assist in meeting its need to recruit and retain physicians and other medical providers, obtain new equipment and furnishings, continue to provide effective and efficient emergency care, and other services in partnership with the hospital.

The Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation consists of a Board of Directors that is formed by members of the community and employees of Southwest Health System. The primary responsibility of the Board
of Directors is to raise financial support through gifts to support the Southwest Memorial
Hospital’s goals. 

Email Foundation@swhealth.org to learn more about the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation or the Board of Directors.