Knox Community Hospital, a 99-bed hospital located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, signed a non-binding letter of intent to join Kettering (Ohio) Health.
The agreement follows a search led by Knox Community Hospital’s board of trustees and hospital and physician leadership that began in earnest last September and included more than 800 hours of onsite and virtual meetings with potential partners, according to a July 28 news release shared with Becker’s.
The two organizations now enter exclusive negotiations, with a definitive agreement targeted for early fall and closing expected by the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval, according to the release.
Kettering Health has committed to making significant capital investments in Knox Community Hospital’s service area over the 10 years following the closing of the deal, according to the release. The commitment includes implementing a new EHR system and supporting workforce stability. Kettering Health intends to offer continued employment to substantially all active Knox Community Hospital employees.
“After careful review, we believe Kettering Health offers the commitment, resources and focus on quality that we were seeking to support and enhance local care for many years to come,” said Marc Odenweller, chairman of Knox Community Hospital’s board of trustees.
Kettering Health operates 14 medical centers and more than 100 outpatient locations across western Ohio, with more than 1,800 physicians and 15,000 employees.
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