Five years after beginning work on a proposed merger to combine 10 of its entities, Buffalo, N.Y.-based Catholic Health System officials said the integration project will not be completed until at least 2018, according to Buffalo Business First.
The health system filed plans to consolidate eight of its businesses in 2012 and predicted the project's completion by Jan. 1, 2014.
CHS CEO Joseph McDonald said slow progress on the merger is due to the merging and selling of various CHS facilities during the last five years. Each time a transaction occurs, the full asset merger must be again be approved by CMS. The recent change in administration and re-staffing at the agency will also likely cause additional delays in the health system's effort to finalize the merger, according to the article.
If approved, the merged entity will be rebranded Catholic Health Ministry Services and include 10 entities: Buffalo-based Sisters of Charity Hospital and its affiliated campus, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Kenmore (N.Y.) Mercy Hospital, Lewiston, N.Y.-based Mount St. Mary's Hospital, the health system's corporate headquarters, Buffalo-based Catholic Health Home Care, Dewpew, N.Y.-based Catholic Health System Infusion Pharmacy and the Tonawanda, N.Y.-based long-term care facility McAuley Residence. The merged entity will also offer a licensed long-term care program.
Mr. McDonald said additional hospital and healthcare facilities may join the health system in various capacities within the next couple of years, according to the article.