UCH proposal for Memorial Hospital earns council’s OK

The Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday voted 9-0 to proceed with negotiations with the University of Colorado Hospital on the lease negotiations with Memorial Hospital.

“We’re honored and excited by the city council’s vote,” said Bruce Schroffel, president and CEO of University of Colorado Hospital, which led a group composed of Poudre Valley Health System, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado in bidding to assume responsibility for Memorial.  “I believe we share our very strong values with Southern Colorado, and we’re now looking forward to continuing our conversation with the people of Colorado Springs.”

The proposal to lease and operate Memorial was made by UCH and northern Colorado’s Poudre Valley Health System, which are nearing the formation of a new hospital system. They were joined by Children’s Hospital Colorado, which would operate a specialty “hospital within a hospital” at Memorial, and the University of Colorado.