Florida's Bert Fish Officially Merges With Adventist Health

Tags: Adventist Health | Bert Fish Medical Center | hospital merger | hospital transaction

Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., has officially merged with Adventist Health System despite objections from publicly-run Halifax Health, according to a report by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Under the deal, Orlando-based Adventist will operate the hospital as part of a five-year lease agreement. In 2015, Adventist will have the option to purchase the hospital. Bert Fish CEO Bob Williams will retain his post.

Bert Fish has struggled financially despite a hospital tax rate that has nearly tripled since 2001, according to the report. The hospital announced plans to merge with Adventist in May, and was challenged by Port Orange, Fla.-based Halifax Health. Halifax argued that the merger would send more uninsured patients to public Halifax and offered $71 million to the ailing hospital. However, in the end, Bert Fish selected Adventist citing its greater resources.

Read the Daytona Beach News-Journal report on Bert Fish Medical Center.

Read other Becker's coverage on Bert Fish Medical Center.

Halifax Health's Late Push Fails to Pull Bert Fish Away From Adventist Health

Halifax Health Challenges Adventist in Florida's Bert Fish Medical Center Takeover

Florida's Bert Fish Medical Center Considers Merger, Affiliation

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