Morgantown, W.Va.-based WVU Health System signed a definitive agreement June 2 to acquire Greensburg, Pa.-based Independence Health System, with plans to invest $800 million in the five-hospital system with nearly 7,000 employees, and 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers.
The transaction is expected to close in late September or early October 2026, pending final regulatory approvals, according to a June 2 news release.
The $800 million investment in Independence Health System’s hospitals will cover an electronic medical record system, facility upgrades and expansions, and expanded clinical capabilities. It will also strengthen coordinated population health strategies through WVU Health System’s affiliated health insurance organization, Peak Health.
The two parties shared plans for the acquisition in mid-November 2025. Once the deal closes, WVU Health System’s network will span across Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
“This partnership is about preserving and expanding access to high-quality healthcare close to home,” Albert Wright Jr., president and CEO of WVU Health System, said in the release. “By bringing our organizations together, we can strengthen services throughout southwestern Pennsylvania while enhancing opportunities for clinical collaboration, recruitment, research, education and specialty care access.”
Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Independence Health System, also said in the release that the agreement will secure a stronger future for the system’s hospitals, caregivers and patients.
“It brings the scale, capital and clinical strength needed to protect local access to care and positions this region for long-term growth,” Mr. DeFurio said.
WVU Health System comprises 25 hospitals, 4,600 providers and 39,000 employees, the release said.
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