CASPER, Wyo. –– Banner Health is taking ownership of Masterson Place after it was gifted by the Natrona County Health Trust.

According to a release, Masterson Place, which employs three people, will now be owned and operated by Banner Health. The Natrona County Health Trust was formed from the Wyoming Medical Center Foundation after the sale of the Wyoming Medical Center to Arizona-based Banner Health. The facility transitioned to the Natrona Collective Health Trust in 2020 along with the rest of the foundation’s assets, the release said.

Spearheaded by Mary Masterson and many community members, Masterson Place was established 25 years ago to provide low-cost short- and long-term housing for patients and families using Casper’s medical facilities. It was first located in a former Best Western motel on West Yellowstone before moving to a new purpose-built facility near the hospital at 310 S. Washington St. in 2019.

A groundbreaking event is held on the site of the new Masterson Place on the corner of Third and Washington streets behind the Wyoming Medical Center on Monday, July 9, 2018, in Casper. The building opened the following year. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News File)

“The Trust is delighted to return Masterson Place’s mission to where it belongs — with a patient-centered health care partner that shares our vision of compassionate care for those traveling to Casper for medical services,” said Beth Worthen, CEO of the Natrona Collective Health Trust, in the release.

“We are honored to receive this gift from the Natrona Collective Health Trust,” said Lance Porter, CEO of Banner Wyoming Medical Center, in the release. “Masterson Place represents the compassionate spirit of our community and aligns perfectly with Banner Health’s mission of making health care easier, so life can be better. As Banner Wyoming Medical Center continues to have the only Level II Trauma Center in the state and we continue to add more advanced health care programs, patients from around the state will continue to seek care in Casper. Masterson Place provides an inexpensive stay for those traveling long distances.” 

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