Axis Health System

What Axis Health System does

Axis Health System is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) integrated healthcare organization headquartered in Durango, Colorado, operating continuously since its 1960 founding as Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center. It functions as a Federally Qualified Health Center under HRSA's Health Center Program, serving residents of 11 counties in Southwest Colorado (Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel) through eight integrated clinic sites in Durango, Cortez, Dove Creek, Pagosa Springs, Montrose, Delta, Gunnison, and Norwood, supplemented by four retail pharmacies (open to the public), two Regional Crisis Centers, and a 24/7 Axis Care Line. Service lines span primary care (preventive, chronic disease, acute, pediatrics, women's health), behavioral health (counseling, psychiatry, substance use treatment including Medication Assisted Treatment and withdrawal management), dental care, pharmacy, crisis intervention, and community programs (healthcare for the homeless, jail services, naloxone distribution, supported employment, veteran outreach).

Axis delivers care via an integrated whole-person model in which primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services share a common electronic health record and a unified referral team, enabling internal cross-service handoffs. Distribution channels include scheduled clinic visits, walk-in urgent care in Pagosa Springs, telehealth via Doxy.me, and the 24/7 Axis Care Line, plus co-responder and community intervention partnerships (LP-CORE with La Plata County Sheriff's Office; Montezuma County Community Intervention Program with Cortez Fire Protection District). Revenue is generated through fee-for-service billing to Medicare, Medicaid, CHP+, and commercial dental plans, supplemented by HRSA Section 330 grant funding, state and county contracts (including Colorado Crisis Services), a sliding-fee discount program for uninsured/underinsured patients up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, and targeted state appropriations such as a $1,289,584 Opportunity Now Colorado grant received in March 2024. In August 2025, Axis absorbed Pagosa Medical Group, expanding urgent care and primary care capacity in Pagosa Springs. The organization employs between 51 and 100 staff at the core level and is led by CEO Shelly Burke, with medical leadership split between Dr. Jill Rimmey (Medical Director, Primary Care) and Dr. Fredi Prochoda (Medical Director, Psychiatry).

Name

Axis Health System

Legal name

Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, Inc.

Website

https://axishealthsystem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Axis Health System is a nonprofit, federally qualified integrated healthcare provider serving 11 counties in Southwest Colorado through eight clinic sites, four retail pharmacies, and two Regional Crisis Centers, delivering primary care, behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, and 24/7 crisis services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Integrated Community Healthcare Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Value-Based Primary Care Organizations (Risk-Bearing) (HLAFAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Behavioral Health-Integrated Chronic Care (SUD comorbidity, collaborative care) (HLALAFAK)

Keywords

• Integrated healthcare services
• Behavioral health treatment
• Primary care clinics
• Rural community healthcare
• Crisis intervention services

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: Axis generates revenue by providing healthcare services (primary care, behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, crisis services) to patients. Services are billed to insurance plans including Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers. As a nonprofit federally qualified health center, the organization also receives grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Axis Health System is a nonprofit, federally qualified health center delivering integrated whole-person healthcare across 11 counties in rural Southwest Colorado. It provides primary care, behavioral health (counseling, therapy, psychiatry), dental care, pharmacy, and 24/7 crisis response services through a coordinated network of clinics and regional crisis centers, with sliding fee discounts for uninsured patients.

Product overview

Axis Health System is a nonprofit integrated healthcare organization providing whole-person care through multiple service lines. The organization operates a platform of integrated healthcare clinics offering coordinated primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services. Core services include primary care, mental health/counseling, psychiatric services, substance use treatment including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), dental care, pharmacy services, and 24/7 crisis care through Regional Crisis Centers. The system serves 11 counties in Southwest Colorado through integrated healthcare clinics in Cortez, Dove Creek, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, and Norwood, with additional crisis services and community support programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Care Services Comprehensive primary healthcare for patients of all ages, including preventive care, chronic disease management, acute care, pediatrics, and women's health, delivered at integrated clinics in Cortez, Dove Creek, Durango, and Pagosa Springs.
• Behavioral Health Services Mental health counseling and therapy services for conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia, with modalities such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and the First Episode of Psychosis (FEP) Program.
• Dental Care Oral health services including preventive, restorative, and emergency dental care available at multiple integrated healthcare locations across Cortez, Dove Creek, Durango, and Pagosa Springs, including same-day trauma services.
• Pharmacy Services Retail pharmacy services open to the public in Cortez, Dove Creek, Durango, and Pagosa Springs, including prescription services, consultations, immunizations, and medication management integrated with Axis's electronic health records.
• Crisis Care Services 24/7 crisis response including Regional Crisis Centers in Durango and Montrose, an Acute Treatment Unit, a Crisis Stabilization Unit, Respite Services, and community response co-responder programs.
• Substance Use Treatment Comprehensive substance use disorder treatment including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), DUI services, Intensive Outpatient Program, drug and alcohol monitoring, and withdrawal management (detox) services.
• Psychiatry Services Psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and ongoing psychiatric care for mental health conditions, delivered under the leadership of Axis's Medical Director of Psychiatry.
• Urgent Care Walk-in urgent care services for non-emergency medical needs at the Pagosa Springs Urgent Care location, including primary care additions from the 2025 Pagosa Medical Group integration.
• Community Services Community support services including Healthcare for the Homeless, Jail Services, Naloxone Education and Distribution, Supported Employment & Educational Services, and Veterans Outreach.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pagosa Medical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2025PMG will become part of Axis on August 4, 2025 to strengthen healthcare services in Pagosa Springs. PMG includes urgent care and primary care services that will integrate with Axis facilities.
• La Plata County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Partnership for the La Plata County Co-Responder Program (LP-CORE) to reduce law enforcement responses to non-criminal calls. A Sheriff's deputy and Axis behavioral health provider work as a team to better address community needs.
• Cortez Fire Protection DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborative partnership for the Montezuma County Community Intervention Program (CIP) providing behavioral health crisis response. The program has responded to 2,728 calls for service since 2021.
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxis participates in the HRSA Health Center Program as a federally qualified health center, receiving program recognition and support for providing healthcare to underserved populations.
• National Health Service CorpcoreOthersThe majority of Axis Health System sites are approved for loan-repayment programs for healthcare professionals through the National Health Service Corp and Colorado Health Service Corp.
• Colorado Health Service CorpcoreOthersAxis participates in Colorado Health Service Corp loan repayment programs to support healthcare professional recruitment and retention.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Office of Emergency Preparedness and ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer free Psychological First Aid and Field Response training to community members for providing emotional support in times of crisis.
• Colorado Crisis ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxis is a provider of Colorado Crisis Services, funded in part by the Colorado Department of Human Services.
• City of DurangominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-responder and community intervention partnerships with City of Durango in addition to Montezuma, Montrose, and Delta counties.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Denver Health: Large Colorado safety-net health system providing integrated primary care, behavioral health, and specialty services with significant FQHC and Medicaid revenue. Comparable as a Colorado safety-net provider with similar payer mix and integrated care delivery model, though operating at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Aledade: Value-based care enablement company that partners with independent primary care practices and FQHCs to take on risk-based contracts. Comparable as an enabler of value-based primary care arrangements relevant to Axis's PCMH-recognized clinics seeking to monetize quality outcomes.

Direct peers

• Pueblo Community Health Center: Colorado FQHC providing primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services with a sliding fee discount program. Comparable as a private nonprofit FQHC serving a mix of urban and rural Colorado communities.
• Sunrise Community Health: Federally Qualified Health Center providing integrated primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy across multiple locations in Northern Colorado. Comparable as a multi-site Colorado FQHC with similar integrated service lines and sliding fee program.
• Uncompahgre Medical Center: Federally Qualified Health Center in Norwood and Ridgway, Colorado (adjacent to Axis's Norwood location) providing primary care, behavioral health, and dental services to rural Western Slope communities. Directly comparable as a nearby rural FQHC serving overlapping patient populations.
• Salud Family Health Centers: Federally Qualified Health Center operating across Northeastern Colorado with primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy. Comparable as a multi-site Colorado FQHC with sliding fee discount program and HRSA Health Center Program participation.
• Valley-Wide Health Systems: Federally Qualified Health Center serving rural Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico with integrated primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy. Comparable as a multi-county rural FQHC with similar sliding-fee program and HRSA funding model.
• Clinica Family Health: Federally Qualified Health Center serving the Denver metro area with integrated primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy. Comparable as a Colorado FQHC with NCQA-recognized PCMH status and full integrated care model.
• Mountain Family Health Centers: Federally Qualified Health Center operating integrated primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services across the Western Slope and Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado. Directly comparable as a multi-site rural Colorado FQHC with similar payer mix and integrated service lines.
• High Plains Community Health Center: Federally Qualified Health Center serving rural Eastern Colorado with primary care, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services. Comparable as a rural Colorado FQHC with similar geographic and payer mix challenges.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AxisHealthSystm
• Facebookfacebook.com/AxisHealthSystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/axis-health-system
• Instagraminstagram.com/axishealthsystem

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Axis Health System