Moab (Utah) Regional Hospital is outsourcing the staffing of its emergency department to CarePoint, a physician-owned emergency medicine group, effective July 1.
Several of the providers working in Moab Regional’s ED are CarePoint employees, and hospital leaders required that all existing providers be retained under the new model.
The decision to outsource ED staff was made after challenges with inconsistent scheduling, reliance on short-term locum tenens providers and administrative burdens.
“Relying on locum providers often meant working with physicians who were here for just a day or two, which made consistency and quality a challenge,” Moab Regional CEO Jennifer Sadoff said in a news release shared with Becker’s. “CarePoint’s model keeps our core group of doctors in place and adds a small, dedicated back-up team who will get to know our hospital and staff — helping us maintain high-quality care, even during staffing gaps.”
Hospital leaders said the current staffing model was not sustainable in the long term and partnering with CarePoint allows Moab Regional — a 17-bed, critical access facility — to develop a more consistent, team-based approach to care.
CarePoint has more than 300 emergency physicians serving over 40 hospitals across the region, including Level I trauma centers and rural critical access hospitals.
“We were especially impressed by CarePoint’s commitment to clinical quality, particularly in the treatment of time-sensitive conditions like strokes, heart attacks, and trauma,” Ms. Sadoff said. “Their depth of expertise will help ensure our protocols and procedures deliver the best possible care to our community.”
While some providers are hesitant about the change to a provider-based group — having previously worked as independent contractors — all have signed contracts with CarePoint and plan to continue working at Moab Regional, according to the hospital. .
“Change is always challenging, but it can feel especially personal in healthcare, where relationships run deep and the work is so meaningful,” Ms. Sadoff said. “We deeply respect the dedication of our providers and staff, and we believe this transition will strengthen our ability to deliver high-quality care to the community.”
As part of the transition, patients will now receive two separate bills for ED care: one from Moab Regional for the facility fee and one from CarePoint for provider services. This billing model is common in hospitals where physician groups provide emergency care and already in use for radiology services at Moab Regional.
“We understand that receiving two separate bills might be a new experience for some patients,” Ms. Sadoff said. “But for those applying for financial assistance, there’s no extra paperwork — patients only need to apply through Moab Regional Hospital, and CarePoint will honor whatever level they qualify for.”
