A deal between Emory Healthcare and WellStar Health System would dominate the north Georgia market. In New York, North Shore-LIJ Health System is exploring a partnership with Maimonides Medical Center that would expand its coverage area to include Brooklyn.
Emory Healthcare and WellStar Health System are negotiating to create a unified health system with 11 hospitals serving Atlanta and its suburbs.
The boards of directors at Emory University and WellStar voted to extend discussions for another 45 days "in preparation for committing to a multistep design process for the new health system that would take about a year to complete," the two systems said in a joint media release.
The "strategic intent" for the two not-for-profit health systems is to pool the resources of Emory Healthcare and WellStar "to create a new, innovative healthcare environment with the best of community-based care and the best of academic medicine."
If an agreement is reached over the next 45 days, the two sides said it likely will take another year to complete the merger.
It's not immediately clear who would lead the new health system, or if any money would change hands, and an Emory spokesperson said senior leaders weren't saying anything beyond what was in the press release.
"This is a tremendous opportunity to create an unparalleled new healthcare system," Emory University Board of Trustees Chair John Morgan said in prepared remarks.
"Combining the significant resources, talent, and expertise of Emory Healthcare and WellStar Health System would bring together two highly respected institutions that together are well known for their commitment to patient care, education, discovery, and innovation."
Emory Healthcare includes six hospitals, 200 provider locations and 1,800 physicians in more than 70 specialties, including 220 primary care physicians, and more than 16,000 employees system-wide.
WellStar is the largest not-for-profit health system in Georgia and with five hospitals and 28 facilities, including urgent care centers, imaging, and physician offices, serving 1.4 million people in the five-county Metro Atlanta area.
"Our shared vision is to design one of the best health systems in the nation to serve local communities, the state of Georgia, and beyond," WellStar CEO Reynold J. Jennings said in the joint statement. "The new system will be one of the most innovative and transformational healthcare systems in the industry."
Emory University President James W. Wagner said WellStar's competencies in community-based care would mesh well with Emory Healthcare's role as an academic medical center.
"During discussions among trustees and executives at both Emory and WellStar, it quickly became evident that we share a vision, commitment, and enthusiasm to create a new organization that strengthens and advances our mission of exceptional patient care, health sciences and medical education, and research," Wagner said in prepared remarks.
Maimonides MC, North Shore-LIJ Explore Partnership
Maimonides Medical Center and North Shore-LIJ Health System have entered into exclusive negotiations to develop a partnership in Brooklyn, the two health systems have announced.
"This preliminary announcement is the result of a focused, 12-month strategic planning process by the Maimonides Board of Trustees and our executive team to identify a regional partner whose vision and commitment to excellence are aligned with ours," Pamela S. Brier, president/CEO of Maimonides Medical Center said in prepared remarks. "We look forward to our continuing discussions with North Shore-LIJ and both agree that benefit to the communities we serve will be our highest priority."
Maimonides Medical Center is a 711-bed tertiary care teaching hospital that includes cardiovascular program, the borough's largest outpatient cancer and breast centers, stroke center, and orthopedics. Maimonides operates Brooklyn's only accredited children's hospital, a regional perinatal center serving high-risk pregnant women and neonates, and the state's largest obstetrics program, delivering more than 8,700 babies each year.
Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of North Shore-LIJ, says the health system has been exploring opportunities in Brooklyn for several years, as it expands beyond its traditional service areas on Long Island, Queens, Staten Island, and Manhattan.
"We believe Maimonides would be an ideal partner, considering the medical center is already the pre-eminent provider of health care in Brooklyn," Dowling said. "Working together, we are confident we can build on Maimonides' outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality care to the incredibly diverse communities of Brooklyn."
When the deal is finalized, Maimonides will continue to operate as a full-service, tertiary hospital and be the hub of a growing network of services that the health system will establish in Brooklyn.
North Shore-LIJ includes 19 hospitals and more than 400 outpatient physician practices throughout the region. North Shore-LIJ's owned hospitals and long-term care facilities house more than 6,400 beds, employ nearly 11,000 nurses and have affiliations with about 10,000 physicians. With a workforce of about 54,000, North Shore-LIJ is the largest private employer in New York State.
John Commins is the news editor for HealthLeaders.