Planning for the future of healthcare at the Telluride Regional Medical Center (TMC) is advancing with a clear path emerging to deliver high-quality care in a financially sustainable way for the community.
Over the past six months, a dedicated Task Force, supported by healthcare planning firm Jensen Partners, has conducted extensive analysis to evaluate the community’s healthcare needs and develop a plan that delivers this in a financially sustainable way. The effort has included working sessions, input from healthcare professionals, and feedback from a community-wide survey.
A Unique Local Challenge
Telluride’s healthcare system serves a small year-round population while accommodating significant seasonal demand. At the same time, healthcare delivery is evolving rapidly, with growing reliance on telehealth, integrated hospital systems, coordinated specialty care, and increasing use of technology and AI.
Today, the Telluride Regional Medical Center (TMC) provides essential primary and emergency services, but the existing facility presents physical and operational constraints that limit capacity and efficiency.
A Clear Direction for the Future
The plan focuses on maintaining local access to primary and emergency care while strengthening overall care delivery through access to high-quality specialty care and improved infrastructure.
Key priorities include:
- Expanded primary care and emergency services
- Addition of urgent care capacity
- Access to high-quality specialty care
- Financial sustainability
- Increased ability to manage peak seasonal demand
- A modern, efficient facility designed for the needs of the community
Supporting infrastructure includes an on-site helipad to enable rapid transfers, space for mobile MRI services, and facilities designed to support telehealth and visiting specialists.
Strategic Partnerships
An essential component of the planned delivery model is a partnership with a regional healthcare system to both enable seamless access to high quality specialty care and to enable financial sustainability. TMC is in discussions to negotiate a partnership model that will benefit Telluride and its partner.
A partner will enable seamless access to specialty care, integrated electronic medical records, support telehealth consultations, and improve coordination for advanced diagnostics and treatment. In addition, a partnership will bring operational efficiencies in areas such as technology and billing which are critical factors in ensuring long-term sustainability. The Medical Center represents an attractive partnership opportunity, with a strong referral base and a community deeply committed to high-quality healthcare.
Financial Sustainability
Currently, the Medical Center is supported by a combination of earned revenue and the existing mill levy. The future model is being developed to ensure long-term financial sustainability without increasing this mill levy. Final costs and scope will be refined as the work is finalized this summer.
Project Timeline
The project is moving forward on a multi-year timeline:
- Finalizing partnership and facility plans: summer 2026
- Selecting a design team and beginning initial site work: late 2026
- Advancing design and construction planning: 2027
- Targeting construction and activation: between 2028 and 2030
Utility and site preparation work is expected to begin in the near term at the Society Turn location, where land has been secured through an MOU with Genesee Partners.
A Community-Driven Effort
This effort reflects a long-standing community priority to invest in essential healthcare. The plan builds on years of prior work and is grounded in broad community input and engagement. Today, the Med Center Task Force, Telluride Hospital District, TMC leadership and staff, Telluride Foundation, and Telluride Medical Center Foundation are aligned and working in close coordination to move this effort forward as a shared community priority.
Construction of a new facility is expected to be fully funded through philanthropy. A phased capital campaign is expected to support the project, beginning with early leadership contributions later this year and followed by a broader community effort.
As planning continues, the Telluride Regional Medical Center and its partners will provide updates and opportunities for community input.
(March 2026)
