Salem (Ore.) Health Hospitals and Clinics and Stayton, Ore.-based Santiam Hospital and Clinics have signed a definitive agreement to partner, pending state approval.
The organizations announced Jan. 19 that they will submit a formal request to the Oregon Health Authority. If approved, the partnership is expected to be finalized by Sept. 30, the Statesman Journal reported.
The agreement comes one month after the organizations signed a nonbinding letter of intent. Prior to that, Santiam ended a proposed merger with Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services in June.
Salem Health is a nonprofit system with more than 6,400 employees, according to a news release. It includes Salem Hospital, Oregon’s largest hospital and a level 2 trauma center; West Valley Hospital, a critical access hospital in Dallas, Ore.; and a network of clinics. Santiam operates a 40-bed hospital and 13 medical clinics, serving about 40,000 residents in Marion and Linn counties.
Santiam would retain a local governing board under the proposed agreement, which both organizations said aims to strengthen care delivery, preserve local access and improve long-term sustainability, according to the Statesman Journal. They cited shared values and a commitment to community-based care.
“This is an exciting opportunity to improve healthcare for the patients we serve and grow services for the Santiam Canyon,” Cheryl Wolfe, RN, president and CEO of Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics, said in the release.
Maggie Hudson, president and CEO of Santiam, added that the proposal reflects a collaborative, community-driven vision for the future of healthcare in the region.
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