Overview of the Partnership
Aurora, Colorado-based UCHealth is extending its Epic electronic health record (EHR) system to Gunnison Valley Health, a 24-bed critical access hospital in rural Colorado. The two organizations are collaborating through Epic’s Community Connect program — a model that allows smaller hospitals to tap into a larger health system’s existing Epic infrastructure. This arrangement gives Gunnison Valley Health access to enterprise-grade technology that it could not otherwise afford independently.
The move marks a significant milestone in rural healthcare connectivity. Moreover, it reflects a broader industry trend in which large academic medical centers actively support smaller community hospitals through shared technology platforms.
Why Gunnison Valley Health Chose Epic
Fragmented Systems Were Slowing Patient Care
Before this transition, Gunnison Valley Health operated across four or five separate EHR systems, depending on the department. This fragmentation created serious inefficiencies in communication, data reporting, and care coordination. Clinicians often had to navigate multiple platforms to access a single patient’s records — a time-consuming barrier that affected care quality.
“The real reason for the switch was that we had so many systems,” said Jason Amrich, CEO of Gunnison Valley Health. “It was becoming a barrier for us to provide the highest level of care in our community.”
Epic Offered the Best Long-Term Fit
After evaluating multiple vendors — including Cerner (now Oracle Health) and Meditech — Gunnison Valley Health chose Epic primarily because of the opportunity to partner with UCHealth. UCHealth operates one of the most advanced Epic instances in the country. Additionally, the wide adoption of Epic nationwide means that patient records from visits to other facilities can flow seamlessly into Gunnison Valley’s system, improving continuity of care.
How the Community Connect Model Works
Shared Infrastructure, Independent Identity
The Epic Community Connect program allows Gunnison Valley Health to use UCHealth’s existing Epic platform while maintaining full governance and legal independence. In practice, Gunnison Valley becomes an Epic affiliate of UCHealth — but its identity and autonomy as an organization remain unchanged.
“This partnership allows us to use UCHealth’s instance of Epic while maintaining our own governance and legal structure,” Amrich explained. “In short, we become an Epic affiliate of UCHealth, but our identity and autonomy as GVH remain unchanged.”
Furthermore, this model significantly lowers the cost barrier. The price difference between a standalone Epic implementation and a Community Connect arrangement is substantial — making it the only viable path for hospitals of Gunnison’s size.
“There’s no way we could afford it on our own,” said Angela Kobel, CFO of Gunnison Valley Health. “Just the sheer cost difference between Epic on your own versus a Community Connect product is significant.”
Training and Implementation Support
UCHealth Begins Preparation a Full Year Ahead
One of the strongest advantages of this partnership is UCHealth’s structured onboarding process. UCHealth starts working with affiliate hospitals a full year before go-live — not just on the technical build, but also on staff familiarization and workflow adjustments.
“They start a year ahead, not only with the build of what our hospital is going to need, but also by introducing different staff members to what this is going to look like,” said Dr. Porter, a clinical leader at Gunnison Valley Health.
Phased Training for Every Role
UCHealth applies a phased training model that begins with broad system exposure and progressively deepens into role-specific instruction. For physicians and advanced practice providers, UCHealth offers VIP early training sessions and assigns one-on-one coaches. Both in-person and virtual training options are available, along with online modules at various stages of the rollout.
This approach ensures that staff members across all departments feel prepared before the system goes live.
Financial Impact and Long-Term Benefits
Short-Term Dips, Long-Term Gains
The hospital anticipates some short-term revenue disruption during the transition period — a common challenge with any major EHR migration. However, leadership views this as a manageable and temporary setback.
“We know there will be some financial dips with the transition, and we’re ready for that,” Amrich said. “But we’re also optimistic that Epic will help us improve charge capture, documentation, and coding, which should ultimately put us in a stronger financial position long term.”
Improved documentation accuracy, better charge capture, and streamlined billing processes are all expected to generate measurable financial improvements after the initial adjustment period.
What This Means for Rural Healthcare
A Scalable Model for Underserved Communities
The Gunnison Valley Health and UCHealth partnership demonstrates how rural hospitals can access world-class health IT infrastructure without bearing the full cost of a standalone implementation. As larger health systems refine their Community Connect programs, they gain experience supporting smaller affiliates — and smaller hospitals gain the tools they need to keep care local.
“Some of the bigger systems are partnering with smaller rural hospitals to make this possible, and that’s a huge advantage for us,” Amrich noted.
The Epic EHR went live at Gunnison Valley Health on May 3, 2025, marking the beginning of a new chapter in rural Colorado’s healthcare delivery.
