Janet Lasick, Chief Executive Officer of Northeastern Rural Health Clinic, Inc. confirmed this morning that the door has been opened for an acquisition of the organization by Banner Lassen Medical Center.
Lasick said the decision to begin investigating possibilities was prompted by several years of financial struggles at the clinics.
Northeastern Rural Health is a non-profit organization created in 1977, treating over 14,000 Lassen County patients each year.
NRH operates under the guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors, made up of community members, who would ultimately make any decision about acquisition.
Lasick explained that this is only a fact-finding phase and any move on the part of Northeastern is, “far from a done deal.”
“The primary goal,” says Lasick, “is to preserve services and even expand them for our patients.”
Banner Lassen is already the second largest employer in the county with 212 employees and 16 volunteers. In 2010 the hospital handled around 30,000 outpatient visits, almost 10,000 Emergency Room visits and delivered just over 250 babies.
