Board members with Ludington-based Memorial Medical Center recently signed a nonbinding letter signifying the facility's intent to merge with Spectrum Health System, one of a number of systems MMC reportedly considered. The chairman of the MMC board said the center chose Spectrum for its ability to help MMC expand services and patient access as well as its support for the facility's "commitment and sense of mission" and general understanding of West Michigan.
MMC announced in late 2012 that it was interested in signing a purchase agreement with a larger health system and would begin searching for potential partners. A nationwide vetting process began, during which the 87-bed hospital's board and a contracted advisory firm reviewed a total of 27 health care systems before unanimously deciding on Spectrum. Memorial Medical Center's current board of directors will remain intact following the merge, a provision that board members say will help ensure more local oversight in operating the facility.
The chairman explained that the hospital was not struggling financially, but several board members had determined potential consolidation to be an effective way of handling impending changes in health care, a tactic employed by numerous hospitals across the country. He added that the agreement will help MCC better "meet the challenges facing the health care sector of our national economy," noting that changes in market forces and regulations will be easier to handle following a merger with a larger system.
Board members stress that the merger with Spectrum will also be beneficial for hospital staff, as it will grant healthcare professionals employed at the hospital improved access to support services and professional opportunities. The deal will also allow MMC to recruit new doctors and give new jobs to a substantial number of Mason County residents. The board says these changes will allow it to greatly expand medical services for patients.
Source: Grand Rapids Business Journal, "Memorial Medical Center plans to merge with Spectrum Health" Pete Daly, May. 10, 2013
