SUBLETTE COUNTY – The Sublette County Hospital District (SCHD) board had a special meeting Jan. 2 and came out of executive session approving the hire of Morgan Hunter HealthSearch as its CEO search company.

This announcement follows the board’s December decision to withdraw from its management agreement with Star Valley Health, citing different directions as the reason.

Lindsey Bond remains employed as the SCHD’s interim administrator, hired after former longtime administrator Dave Doorn resigned from his position in October. Doorn led the board to its successful loan application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s through its Wyoming funding program.

Dawn Walker remains in place as the Sublette Center administrator.

Groundbreaking officially took place Aug. 25 for the new Sublette County Health – Sublette County’s new critical access hospital and a new longterm care facility, at the site of the Pinedale Medical Clinic on Skyline Road, to replace the Sublette Center and their completion is slated for March 2025.

The combined facilities are anticipated to cost $73.8 million, with Sublette County setting aside $24.9 million for construction.

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare, the federal agency that oversees health-care organizations, requires a hospital to have a “C-Suite of leaders,” said publicist Kari DeWitt.

A “C-Suite” is a team with a chief executive officer (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO) and chief operations officer (COO).

After Doorn’s resignation, SCHD board chair Tonia Hoffman told the Pinedale Roundup that the SCHD originally planned to “segue” Doorn’s administrator position into a CEO or CFO role when the hospital opened.

Morgan Hunter HealthSearch describes itself as a nationwide recruitment provider of candidates for managerial-level positions. It is based in Edgerton, Kansas.