Mercy announced today that they have entered into a formal letter of intent with Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Jefferson County that is expected to result in a partnership in the near future. Terms of the letter include an investment from Mercy to establish a new community foundation to support healthcare and social needs in the area and a commitment to significant capital improvements in upgraded and expanded facilities, program enhancements, and more.
"In May, after reviewing many proposals and offers, Jefferson Regional selected Mercy as the organization we believed offered the best fit for us both culturally and clinically. Our discussions over the summer have only reinforced our confidence in that decision," said Jeff Buck, interim chief executive officer, Jefferson Regional Medical Center, in a press release. "The board of Jefferson Regional sees a partnership with Mercy as a natural progression of their commitment to quality, community-based care, honoring the intentions of community leaders who founded the hospital in 1957."
Mercy, the sixth-largest Catholic health care system in the U.S., includes 31 hospitals and nearly 300 outpatient facilities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Jefferson Regional Medical Center, one of the last independent hospitals in the St. Louis area, is a 251-bed private, not-for-profit hospital in Crystal City managed by a local board of directors.
Buck added that the transaction is expected to be completed in the next four to six months.
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