WAMSUTTER – Last Friday, the community of Wamsutter came together and celebrated a new partnership. The gathering, held at the Wamsutter Health Clinic, was the result of hard work put in by community members to revive the need for health care in the region. It was also the start of the relationship between the High Desert Rural Health Care District and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, as both boards and administrators signed an agreement to re-open the clinic and serve the community.

The High Desert Rural Healthcare District is a rural health care special taxing district. The health district was approved by voters in the November 4, 2014 election after approaching the County and going after the signatures needed to get it on the ballot. Five local Trustees were elected by the voters and Craig Staker (President), Bobbie Amos (Secretary), Jackie Angle (Treasurer), Emma Waldner and Sheri Lyon took office in December, 2014.

One of the District’s purposes was to get the Wamsutter Community Health Center operational in Wamsutter to support residents and the oil and gas industry in the region.

With this partnership, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County will manage and staff the Wamsutter Community Health Center as of September 1, 2015 to provide primary care, urgent care and occupational medicine. Their current primary care providers will rotate shifts at the clinic and a nurse and office assistant will be hired to serve the patients.

The District boundaries cover roughly one third of the area of Sweetwater County including the Towns of Wamsutter and Bairoil.