(WWJ) -- Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health have announced plans to merge into a new health system, which will become the largest in Michigan.
The combined organization, which will temporarily be called BHSH System, will operate 22 hospitals and 305 outpatient locations throughout the state, employing a total of 64,000 workers.
Priority Health, Spectrum Health’s Michigan-based health plan, will also be part of the new system.
"As health care continues to evolve, there are a number of factors that proactive health systems must consider as they plan for the future. Beaumont Health has found a great Michigan partner in Spectrum Health, and together, we are uniquely positioned for success," said Beaumont Health Board Chair Julie Fream. "As a new organization, we will provide Michiganders an enhanced, high-quality health care and coverage network built for them."
The organizations’ shared goals for the merged system include improving health care equity, quality, and cost, ensuring the voices of team members and physicians are heard, and enhancing the overall consumer experience.
Spectrum Health's president and CEO Tina Freese Decker will reportedly lead the new organization, which will have dual headquarters in Grand Rapids and Southfield.
“Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health are leaders in our respective markets, and by bringing together our organizations to create a new system, we have the opportunity to deliver greater value in high-quality and affordable health care to our communities,” Freese Decker said. “Together, we can provide a more personalized experience that prioritizes individuals’ health while also attracting and retaining great talent to our vibrant communities.”
The system will also be overseen by 16 board members from across Michigan that will have equal members appointed from both Beaumont and Spectrum, and include at least three physicians.
Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health are aiming to have the process completed by the fall, pending regulatory reviews.
A letter to the Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health communities, as well as updates on this process, can be found at www.formichiganbymichigan.org.
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