Razaghi was one of the original founders of what is now Blue Mountain Hospital, located in Blanding, Utah.  During the ten-year development of the project, he was instrumental in structuring a historic collaboration between a private entrepreneur, a Native American tribe, and a tribal organization. As a result, Razaghi holds the right to appoint one member to the Board of Directors of Blue Mountain Hospital. On October 19, 2006, Eagle World News reported, “The monumental partnership between Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Utah Navajo Health Systems and Razaghi Development Company, et al is the first of its kind to provide healthcare services to the diverse population of Four Corners region…”

Recently, Blue Mountain Hospital, Ahmad Razaghi, and Razaghi Healthcare have settled certain disputes between them based on the payment of money by Blue Mountain Hospital to Razaghi and Razaghi Healthcare and the donation by Razaghi and Razaghi Healthcare to Blue Mountain Hospital of the interest amount on that principal amount. Razaghi stated, “We will continue our support of the Hospital by providing an experienced and qualified member to the Board.”

Razaghi Healthcare is the leading provider of executive management and consulting services that improve the quality of health care in Native American healthcare systems.

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This article was originally published on April 16, 2014 under the headline “Razaghi Healthcare Continues Partnership with Utes and Utah Navajo.” At the request of Blue Mountain Hospital, the article has been edited for content and republished.

After publishing the original version of this press release, Razaghi Healthcare was contacted by The Gallup Independent requesting comments to the following list of questions:

1.      The news release refers to a partnership with Utah Navajo Health Systems. Was this a past partnership to start Blue Mountain Hospital or does it continue today?

The collaboration between Razaghi, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Utah Navajo Health System (“UNHS”) was formed to facilitate the construction of BMH and create a non-profit organization for the purpose of providing medical care for the Utah Navajo People and surrounding communities. Razaghi’s collaborative partnership with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and UNHS continues today.

2.      The news release refers to $600,000 in donated services. What services were donated and when? Were they donated to UNHS or to Blue Mountain?

The correct amount of Razaghi’s donation to BMH is $505,221, which is the sum of $442,635 in professional services Razaghi donated and $62,586, which is the value of the 1.5 acres of land he donated. He made his donation by a Donation Agreement dated December 18, 2002 between Razaghi and BMH. The services Razaghi donated to BMH were project development services he had rendered or would render from March 1, 1996 throughDecember 31, 2002.  Razaghi Healthcare (“RH”) will soon issue an edited press release clarifying the facts about the donation, which Razaghi made to BMH, not to UNHS.

3.      I understand that Ahmad Razaghi was a founding member of the hospital and that he arranged financing for the project. Correct?

Mr. Razaghi was a founder (not a founding member), Chairman of the Board of Directors (December 2002 to April 2008), and President of the hospital (December 2002 to July 2010). 

As the executive officer of BMH, Razaghi was responsible for the development and implementation of a strategic plan for a de novo hospital in Blanding, UT, including without limitation: business plan; negotiations with a Native tribe and a tribal organization; formation of the corporation; retention and oversight of legal counsel, architect, general contractor and other professionals; land acquisition; market and financial feasibility studies; negotiations with the federal, State of Utah, San Juan County, and Blanding City governments; and financing.

4.      From an earlier news release, he is described as construction manager. What did that involve? Did he have previous experience?

See #3 above. Mr. Razaghi has over 20 years of entrepreneurial and executive management experience. 

With the exception of negotiations with a tribal organization, prior to BMH (April 1998 to August 2002), his experience included providing executive leadership (Vice President and later President) in a similar capacity for the Blue Mountain Medical Center, a proposed hospital in Blanding, UT. 

He started his career with a construction management/environmental technology company and later became its Vice President (1994 to 1998) where among other things he provided consulting services for the development of a surgical center in Blanding, UT; he was also a founder and board member of a wireless technology company, a founder of a real estate holding company, and has provided consulting services for high tech startup companies in the U.S. and Europe.

5.      The release mentions that RHC will appoint a board member of the hospital. Has he chosen the board member?

Razaghi and RH have found an outstanding candidate for the BMH Board position whom Razaghi will appoint soon. Razaghi, not RH, is entitled to appoint one member of BMH’s Board. An upcoming press release will provideadditional information on this selection.

6.      Is Mr. Razaghi still associated with Manual Morgan?

Razaghi no longer has any business relationships with Manuel Morgan but they remain friends. (Please note the spelling of Mr. Morgan’s first name.)

7.      Did Mr. Razaghi’s duties end when the hospital hired a CEO or did he continue to work with the new CEO?

Razaghi’s duties did not end when BMH hired a Chief Executive Officer. Until July 2010, Razaghi remained President of BMH in charge of the development project while the new CEO was in charge of BMH’s business operations.

[Originally published through PRNewswire.com]

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Blue Mountain Hospital announced that it has secured an additional $2.1 million debt financing from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The funds will be used to construct, equip, and operate a new critical access hospital in Blanding. The remainder of the $23.1 million was raised through a combination of debt, private equity, lines of credit and private donations. “Blue Mountain Hospital is the culmination of a historic partnership between the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Utah Navajo Health Systems and the city of Blanding to service the healthcare needs of all the residents of the Four Corners region who have had limited access to or simply done without adequate healthcare for far too long,” said Manuel Morgan, Chairman of Utah Navajo Health System. “Our process will serve as the template for similar communities that seek to develop or update their healthcare infrastructure.”

“Blue Mountain Hospital broke new ground in many ways, this is the first time USDA-Rural Development and HUD jointly financed a new Critical Access Hospital and it marks the end of a very lengthy process and that only strengthened this project over time. We are proud to partner with Blue Mountain Hospital and to see how perseverance benefited Blanding and San Juan County,” said Bonnie Carrig, Community Programs Director with USDA-Rural Development. Ahmad Razaghi, President and Chairman of Blue Mountain Hospital, said, “This project is the first of its kind and has required the coordinated efforts and resources from several public, private, and tribal entities, all of which played a critical role, to secure the necessary capital needed to bring this vision to reality.”

Blue Mountain Hospital also announces the appointment of Victor Dee, Vice Chair of UNHS, who has replaced Donna Singer on the Board of Directors. “Victor’s experience and leadership will be a valuable addition to the Board [of Directors],” said Razaghi. “We appreciate Ms. Singer’s contribution. She is one of numerous individuals within the community who has provided support for this project.”

Blue Mountain Hospital is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization established to construct and operate a 45,000 square foot critical access hospital in Blanding. The new facility is designed with the latest medical technology to provide primary and acute care services to the diverse residents of the Four Corners region.

The 11-bed hospital will have two operating rooms, emergency department, three labor delivery rooms, state-of-the-art diagnostic center, renal dialysis, primary care clinics, pharmacy, and physical therapy. In addition, the facility will have a Native American Traditional Medicine Center, which was designed with collaborative input from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Navajo Tribe Chapters on the Utah strip. The unique design of the facility enables future expansion plans to be implemented without compromising medical service.

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The remainder of the $23.1 million was raised through a combination of subordinated debt, private equity, land donations, and lines of credit. “This project required the coordinated efforts and resources from several public and private entities, all of which played a critical role, to secure the necessary capital needed to build this facility,” stated Ahmad Razaghi, President and Chairman of Blue Mountain Hospital. “Blue Mountain Hospital is the culmination of a historic partnership between the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Utah Navajo Health Systems and the city of Blanding to service the healthcare needs of all the residents of the Four Corners region who have had limited access to or simply done without adequate healthcare for far too long,” said Manuel Morgan, Chairman of Utah Navajo Health System. “Our process will serve as the template for similar communities that seek to elevate or update their healthcare infrastructure.”

The financial partners for the project are US Bank; US Department of Housing and Urban Development; US Department of Agriculture Rural Development; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; Utah Navajo Health Systems; Recapture Metals Inc., which donated the land; City of Blanding, which issued the tax-exempt bonds; and Razaghi Development Company, which provided the professional team and technical expertise to develop and implement the strategic plan for this project. Other team members included law firms Harris Beach, Krooth & Altman, Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, Ray Quinney & Nebeker; and Attentus LLC, which provided transaction support and investment banking services.

SOURCE: Attentus LLC

[This press release was originally published on January 8th, 2007 on PRNewswire.com]

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BLANDING, Utah — Blue Mountain Hospital, a historic collaboration between a Native American Tribe, a Tribal Organization, and private enterprise, hosted a ground breaking ceremony on October 16, 2006. The monumental partnership between Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Utah Navajo Health Systems and Razaghi Development Company, et al is the first of its kind to provide healthcare services to the diverse population of Four Corners region, which includes Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Blue Mountain Hospital was incorporated in December 2002 to develop, build and operate the 11-bed acute care facility.

“Our mission is to elevate the quality of healthcare for the communities of San Juan County and Four Corners Area,” said Ahmad Razaghi, Chairman and President of Blue Mountain Hospital. “This has been a dream of many of the local residents for over two decades. We have been successful because our project truly reflects the extraordinary diverse cultural needs of this region.”

“Blue Mountain Hospital is a thought and a vision for Native American people. It is a humble way for the Ute and Navajo tribes to come together for the health and welfare of our people,” said Elayne Atcitty, vice chair of Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and White Mesa Council Representative.

“We have worked diligently during the past several years to determine how best to provide patient care that is of the highest quality, while at the same time taking into account the local culture and the specific needs of the region,” said Manuel Morgan, Chairman of Utah Navajo Health System and San Juan County Commissioner. “We have learned a tremendous amount about what it takes to bring a project like Blue Mountain Hospital to fruition. The knowledge we gained through this process will serve as the template for us to bring quality healthcare to the residents of other under-served rural communities.”

Blue Mountain Hospital is designed with the latest medical technology to provide primary and acute care services. The facility will have an operating suite containing two operating rooms, emergency department, three labor delivery rooms, state-of-the-art diagnostic center, renal dialysis, clinics, pharmacy, and physical therapy. The unique design of the facility enables future expansion plans to be implemented without compromising medical service.

The financial partners for the project are US Bank, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, USDA Rural Development, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Utah Navajo Health Systems, Recapture Metals Inc., which donated the land, and Razaghi Development Company, which provided the professional team and technical expertise to develop and implement the strategic plan for this project.

The Utah State Governor Jon Huntsman Jr., Ute Mountain Ute chairman Manuel Heart and Council, the Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley and Vice President Frank Dayish Jr., San Juan County Commission, Blanding City, Utah Congressman Jim Matheson, and Utah Tribal Leaders council have also provided strong political support for Blue Mountain Hospital.

Utah Navajo Health Systems is a not-for-profit 501C (3) corporation, which operates a system of primary health centers in Southern San Juan County and services over 10,000 residents. Utah Navajo Health Systems has an all Navajo board and is the first tribal organization to secure a federal government contract to provide healthcare services on the Navajo Nation.

“The planning and organizing of this project has created a partnership and spirit of cooperation of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, the Utah portion of the Navajo Nation and the Caucasian residents of this county, which has not been achieved by any other endeavor at any time in our history. This has been possible because of the recognition that there is a valid need for improved healthcare coverage,” stated General (Ret.) Lynn Stevens, Chairman of San Juan County Commission in a written statement in support of Blue Mountain Hospital.

The planned services offered by the new hospital will provide the much needed access to acute care to the local residents, 60% of whom have to travel as far as 150 miles to receive basic medical services such as emergency care. Additional services such as renal dialysis and diabetes treatment offered at the new hospital will provide essential treatment to nearly 50% of surrounding population. “Currently, residents of White Mesa located in Southern Utah must travel over 80 miles in any direction to receive the services that will be offered by this new hospital,” said Elayne Atcitty.

“Blue Mountain Hospital was conceived out of the need to provide healthcare to the residents of the local communities, who have had to undergo significant hardship to receive essential medical care or simply do without,” commented Donna Singer, chief executive officer of Utah Navajo Health Systems. “It is exciting to be involved with this extraordinary collaborative effort in which the Indian people are leading the effort to bring medical services to all local residents.”

Blue Mountain Hospital will also have a Native American Traditional Medicine Center, which will integrate modern and traditional medicine. This center was designed with collaborative input from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Navajo Tribe Chapters in the Utah strip.

This article was originally published on October 19, 2006 by Blue Mountain Hospital.

Razaghi Healthcare was instrumental in the development of this project.

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