About Us

About Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center

Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center is a Critical Access Hospital and is located on two blocks of land. The main building is licensed to house 25 acute care patients. The 129,300 (76,500 plus 52,800 new) square-foot main building began operations in 1971. AVRMC has continued to improve the facilities and upgrade its equipment through funds generated from Medical Center operations.

AVRMC is accredited by The Joint Commission. Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years. If you, as a patient, have any concerns about patient care and safety in the hospital, that the hospital has not addressed, please contact our Administration at (719) 383-6001 or our patient advocate at (719) 383-6009. If the concerns cannot be resolved through Administration or patient advocate, you are encouraged to contact The Joint Commission.

You may contact The Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring to report any concerns or register complaints by either calling (800) 994-6610 or emailing complaint@jcaho.org.

History

Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center has a history that dates back to the early 1900's. In 1904, the Mennonite Sanitarium and Hospital was organized as a tuberculosis treatment center located in Swink, Colorado, about five miles west of La Junta. In 1919, the La Junta Hospital Association asked the management of the Mennonite Sanitarium and Hospital to operate the La Junta City Hospital, which was then located at the corner of 9th Street and Carson Street.

After managing the City Hospital for four years, the La Junta Hospital Association Board in 1924 proposed to the Mennonite Sanitarium Board that the Association would give all of its assets to the Mennonite Board if they would agree to build a general hospital of at least 50 beds and continue to do some charity work, and if the hospital would be open to the reputable physicians of the community. The proper authorization by the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities of Elkhart, Indiana, was obtained. A dairy farm at the edge of town at the corner of 10th and Carson Street was purchased and is the site of the present hospital. By April of 1928, the hospital was open for business. The sanitarium patients from Swink were relocated to the new sanitarium, and the new hospital was in operation; the La Junta Mennonite School of Nursing was moved to the site of the old hospital at 9th and Carson. With these two buildings and the major addition of a south wing of the hospital building in 1947, the hospital provided care to La Junta and the surrounding communities. With the development of new treatments for tuberculosis, the sanitarium was closed in 1956. This building was used for a nursing home with the addition of Nursing Home West in 1963.

By 1964, the need for a new hospital facility become very apparent. The La Junta Community Hospital Corporation was formed, which had the authority to build a new facility. Bonds were issued and guaranteed by the Mennonite Board of Missions, and the new hospital construction was begun in 1969; in March of 1971, the new building was occupied. The Mennonite Board of Missions managed the Center under a management agreement from 1968 through 1998, at which time ownership of the hospital was turned back over to the City. A new not-for-profit corporation, Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, was formed, which took over operations of the Medical Center on July 1, 1998.

Mission

Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center is a community-owned organization providing high-quality, respectful, and compassionate health care services to individuals and families in southeastern Colorado.

Vision

Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center will work in partnership with the communities we serve to promote the health and well-being of individuals and families in southeastern Colorado.

Values

Our work life will be governed by these core Values:
Compassion
Respect
Quality
Trust
Progress

Board of Directors

Joseph Pentlicki, D.M.- Board Chairman
Rob Pickering - Board Vice Chairman
Dale Leighty - Secretary/Treasurer
Joel Carale, M.D.
Gary Gibson
Bill Jackson
Pat Malott
Michael Morley, D.O.
Gloria Thomas
Betty Velasquez
Paul Velasquez

Senior Leadership Team

Ronald E. Hogan Chief Executive Officer
Travis Bender Chief Quality Officer	Heidi Gearhart Chief Nursing Officer	Kelsey Herman Chief Human Resources Officer	Bruce Naremore Interim Chief Financial Officer	Erika Retzlaff Chief Business Development Officer