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Barton talks to other hospitals

Mary Thompson

Barton Memorial Hospital is exploring the benefits of joining with two other area hospitals.

Barton Hospital’s chief executive officer Bill Gordon met July 22 with administrators of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital and Reno’s Washoe Medical Center to discuss the possibility of an affiliation between the three medical centers.

Gordon said the meeting addressed partnership concerns but not a buy out or mergers between the three medical facilities.



A spokesman for Carson-Tahoe Hospital also said the possibility of an acquisition of – or merger between – the medical centers is out of the question at this time.

“One of the principles of the discussion is that there will be no sharing, selling or leasing of assets between the hospitals,” said Rich Linkul, marketing director for the Carson-Tahoe Hospital. “We’re looking at ways to provide better quality, more effective health care to the people in the region.”



Linkul said the affiliation could bring more efficient medical services to the area by eliminating the duplication of medical services offered by the three medical centers. It could also serve patients in a larger geographic area and lower costs of health care within each community.

According to John Wheeler, spokesman for Washoe Medical Center, the affiliation idea emerged about a year ago and then quickly died when Carson-Tahoe wasn’t interested in an affiliation. The idea surfaced again about a month ago when Carson-Tahoe warmed up to the idea.

Since then, Washoe Medical and Carson-Tahoe has met twice – first on their own and then a second time with Barton Memorial Hospital.

The next meeting is scheduled for mid-August.

Linkul said the group has agreed on Sept. 30 as a deadline to decide whether the affiliation is a possibility that the hospitals would like to pursue.


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