Bartlett Regional Hospital is taking over an independently owned primary care clinic in the Mendenhall Valley.
Family Practice Physicians has been a primary care clinic in Juneau for more than four decades. On Tuesday night, the city-owned hospital’s board of directors voted unanimously to purchase the assets of the practice and bring the clinic under Bartlett’s umbrella of care.
At the meeting, board member Dr. John Raster, who leases office space in the Family Practice Physicians building, called the move a “win-win” for patients.
“This truly is good for the patient, because these are great physicians that have been in the community for 20-something years. Now they can keep practicing and the hospital benefits, because we have a place to put other physicians, other nurse practitioners — and it’s a footprint up the Valley,” he said. “I just don’t see the downsides, it’s mostly upsides.”
Bartlett already owns the physical building where the practice is based along Glacier Highway. The hospital bought it in the fall of 2022 for $2.4 million.
Under the plan approved by the board, the clinic will remain at the same location and its current employees will continue to oversee medical services. Clinic employees will become hospital employees and the clinic will be renamed Bartlett Family Medicine.
According to hospital leaders, discussions with the practice about its financial sustainability have been happening for nearly a year.
Juneau has continued to see multiple private medical practices consolidate with larger entities, namely the Alaska Native-run Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium. In the past two years, it’s acquired Southeast Medical Clinic, Juneau Youth Services and Juneau Physical Therapy – and many other clinics throughout the region.
Some Bartlett board members shared concerns about yet another private practice falling under a larger organization. At a previous meeting on the topic, Dr. Raster said the plan will ensure longtime providers can stay in Juneau.
“It’s hard to get doctors to move to small towns. These are well-respected positions that are already here. It’s such an easy transition, especially as a foil with the other single provider SEARHC — the big gorilla,” he said. “My suspicion is that this will be supported broadly.”
The transition is estimated to take around three months to complete and the board approved $600,000 to purchase the assets. It comes as Bartlett’s finances appear to be on the mend following a difficult year.
Last spring, the hospital faced a multimillion-dollar deficit that threatened bankruptcy. Its board controversially chose to reduce staffing and shut down multiple programs to keep that from happening.
The hospital presented a positive budget outlook for the next fiscal year at a Juneau Assembly finance meeting earlier this month.
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Dr. John Raster as a physician with Family Practice Physicians. He leases space for his independent practice in the same building.
