Lahey Clinic explores merger with Beth Israel

The Lahey Clinic and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, two respected teaching institutions, have become the latest Massachusetts hospitals to explore a merger in a healthcare market bracing for dramatic shifts. Howard Grant, MD, president of Lahey in Burlington, recently proposed that the two institutions join forces, though both sides stressed that the discussions are preliminary. Grant declined to comment to the Globe, but hospital spokesman Scott Hartman confirmed that "a draft document was shared with the BID to start a conversation." That the two well-known hospitals are discussing a possible merger, whether or not the talks progress, highlights a growing restlessness among doctors groups and hospitals, as providers jockey to make sure they are well positioned for expected changes in the healthcare industry.