MISSOULA — Missoula County and Partnership Health Center have long partnered to provide a range of community healthcare services, but now they've agreed to part ways.
The two organizations this week announced a mutual agreement to formally separate, allowing PHC to become a “fully independent non-profit” while also retaining its status as a Federal Qualified Health Center.
PHC Chief Executive Lara Salazar said the organization has outgrown the existing structure and needs to make its own way in the nonprofit sector.
“When PHC was small, our connection with the county helped us grow and manage essential functions like human resources and finance,” Salazar said in a statement. “Now we are a large, vibrant clinic serving 18,000 patients annually. This transition will help us be more nimble and responsive to the healthcare needs of our community.”
Missoula County in 1993 applied for a federal grant to establish a Federally Qualified Health Center, as required at the time. Shortly after, PHC began as a small volunteer organization in the basement of the county's health department.
Now, PHC has evolved into a complex organization offering a range of services including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy.
“As an independent organization, PHC can more effectively leverage its healthcare-specific expertise to drive its mission,” said Commissioner Juanita Vero. “We know there will be continued opportunities to work together to ensure that everyone in Missoula County has affordable access to healthcare.”
According to the county, the structure of starting within a county government and transitioning to an independent organization is common for Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Recently, Flathead and Cascade counties have also separated from their own Federally Qualified Health Center. In Missoula, the change won't affect tax revenue since PHC doesn't use country tax revenue to operate.
PHC's patients aren't likely to notice any changes, PHC said.
“This is a positive change for our organization’s ability to operate nimbly in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape, strengthening our position as a trusted healthcare provider in this community,” said PHC Board Chair Kathleen Walters. “As a patient myself, I see this as a great thing for PHC’s ability to support the health and well-being of our patients and community,” Walters said.
PHC and Missoula County will spend the next several months determining the formal details of the separation, with the goal of completing the process by the end of 2025.
