St. Joseph County Indiana – On Thursday, Beacon Health System announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Ascension Healthcare System in southwest Michigan.
Beacon officials say the transaction is expected to close this summer, subject to standard regulatory approvals.
“Once the transaction is complete, Beacon Health System will own Ascension’s network of four hospitals, 35 outpatient clinics and an ambulatory surgery center,” a spokesperson for Beacon announced. “The hospitals include Ascension Borgess Hospital, Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital, Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital and Ascension Borgess-Pipp Hospital.”
The largest facility in the transaction is Ascension Borgess in Kalamazoo, a 422-bed acute care hospital. Officials say the system employs over 2,700 people, including 261 providers.
“Beacon Health System’s primary goal is to provide exceptional care to our communities.” “Expanding our reach deeper into southwest Michigan broadens access to high-quality, affordable care for Ascension-served communities, extends our service area, and provides growth opportunities to further strengthen the health system,” said Kreg Gruber, CEO of Beacon Health System.
“This acquisition will create a bright future for these communities by ensuring access to quality healthcare services for generations.”
The teams at Beacon Health System and Ascension say they are committed to collaborating to “ensure a smooth transition for team members, physicians, and consumers.”
Current Ascension patients will continue to receive care from the same providers, with little disruption to their care.
“As a regional provider, Beacon Health System is positioned to serve patients through an integrated care delivery system to ensure that southwest Michigan has access to sustainable, quality health care long into the future,” said Ascension Michigan’s Chief Operating Officer, Scott Cihak, FACHE.
“After conducting an in-depth review, we discovered that our organizations are culturally aligned, which will speed up the integration process. “Our communities are in good hands.
