BHS, Excela agree to merge
The Butler Health System and Excela Health on Friday announced they have agreed to merge the organizations to form a new health system.
The news comes after the parties announced in a letter of intent issued in June that they planned to merge. The health systems said they exercised due diligence leading to the definitive agreement to combine the organizations that was announced Friday.
The definitive agreement is legally binding and defines the details of the transaction. The organizations will now move forward with necessary state and federal regulatory approvals, which are anticipated to be complete by the end of the year.
The agreement includes Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital and Westmoreland Hospital. A name for the newly created organization will be announced later.
“Today’s announcement represents a major step forward in the process to redefine locally-controlled, community-based care,” said Ken DeFurio, BHS President & CEO. “Our commitment to our patients in providing high-quality, low-cost sophisticated care in our region will be the cornerstone of the new entity.”
When finalized, the new health system will employ about 7,300 people, and have over 1,000 physicians and practitioners that serve a population of 750,000.
