SUBLETTE COUNTY – The Sublette County Hospital District Board of Trustees received a letter on March 10 from St. John’s Health CEO William Wagnon announcing the withdrawal of St. John’s proposal as a potential management partner.

The letter included the following text by Wagnon:

“It’s been a pleasure to meet you and the other members of the board. As Wyoming neighbors, we have a commitment to local, high-quality healthcare as a shared value.

"In my short tenure as Chief Executive Officer at St. John’s Health, I have been excited to learn about the important relationship and connections between our hospital districts. I’ve been particularly interested in exploring whether synergies exist to support the expansion of physician specialists to serve both of our communities.

“After careful reflection on current priorities and circumstances, I’ve concluded the timing is unfavorable for St. John’s Health to dedicate the resources necessary to be your hospital management partner. St. John’s has several important projects on the short-term horizon, including the openings this summer of our new Sage Living community and inpatient physical rehabilitation facility (IRF). With the added strain on staff and resources created by the pandemic, I have decided to focus St. John’s resources on our current top initiatives.

“I respectfully withdraw the St. John’s Health response to your RFP. On behalf of my entire team, we have appreciated the opportunity to be considered and look forward to continued collaborations.”