Tuesday, January 13, 2026 |
Photo – MHCC sign outside of the ER – Bigfoot99 file photo
Memorial Hospital administrators are taking steps to bolster staffing.
During the January 6th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Hinkle announced that the Board of Directors recently approved a contract with Western Healthcare. Hinkle explained that the Texas‑based staffing firm will supply emergency room physicians to the Rawlins facility.
Hinkle said members of the public have had questions about the partnership, including whether Western Healthcare will staff Memorial Hospital’s emergency room with mid‑level providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The chief operating officer said that will not be the case, as Western Healthcare is required to provide only emergency department certified physicians to the medical center.
Hinkle also said Western Healthcare will handle staffing only for the hospital’s emergency room, not for other departments such as nursing or office personnel. Hinkle added that current emergency room physicians will be given the opportunity to work for Western Healthcare before the entire department transitions to the staffing firm on April 1st.
Hinkle said Western Healthcare has a positive reputation and that Memorial Hospital administrators believe the firm’s consistent access to board‑certified emergency physicians will benefit the community.
Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett said a resident contacted her with concerns that the Western Healthcare‑provided staff are not local. Hinkle responded that only two current Memorial Hospital physicians live in Carbon County, with the rest working as traveling healthcare staff. With such a small pool of providers, the Board of Directors concluded that partnering with Western Healthcare was the only viable option.
Next, Vice Chair Bartlett asked what would happen if Western Healthcare placed a physician in Rawlins who was not well suited for the community. Hinkle replied that the firm is entirely responsible for finding emergency department staff, but Memorial Hospital administrators will participate in the hiring process to ensure candidates meet their standards.
Commissioner Sue Jones said Carbon County isn’t alone in struggling to find qualified physicians. More and more rural hospitals are relying on higher‑cost traveling healthcare workers as the supply of local providers seeks more exciting and higher‑paying opportunities.
Commissioner Jones said using local physicians would be ideal but acknowledged the difficulty in finding qualified candidates. Hinkle agreed that local providers would be preferable but said partnering with Western Healthcare still offers several advantages for the Rawlins facility.
Commissioner John Johnson expressed his support for the partnership and emphasized the importance of maintaining a fully operational emergency department in Rawlins. Hinkle said Memorial Hospital administrators have made it clear that any physicians Western Healthcare provides must have trauma experience and be certified in emergency medicine.
Commission Chairman Travis Moore asked Hinkle how Memorial Hospital will ensure patients receive consistent, coordinated care while relying on outside staffing agencies. Hinkle said Western Healthcare plans to use the same physicians on a recurring basis to maintain continuity of care.
Chairman Moore said patients can become frustrated when they feel they’re constantly dealing with unfamiliar providers. Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer Kerry Ashment said retaining physicians is important, but keeping the hospital’s support team consistent may be even more critical to patient satisfaction.
Ashment said his goal is to maintain continuity of care at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, noting that he has remained in the CEO role for the past 10 months. By partnering with Western Healthcare, hospital administrators expect to keep the emergency department fully staffed and continue providing consistent, high‑quality care.
