Trinity Health has acquired CommonSpirit Health's share of MercyOne to become sole owner of the regional system. A subsidiary, Trinity Health Michigan, has added its ninth hospital system.
MercyOne was founded in 1998 through a collaboration between Catholic Health Initiatives, now CommonSpirit Health, and Trinity Health.
CommonSpirit Health's exit from MercyOne brings the 18 hospitals plus the clinic, hospice, home care and infusion locations of MercyOne exclusively under the Trinity Health umbrella, with MercyOne retaining its name and its Catholic identity.
The regional system is based in Des Moines, Iowa. It has facilities across Iowa and in Nebraska.
Trinity Health is based in Livonia, Michigan, and provides care in 26 states. It has 123,000 employees, including nearly 27,000 physicians and clinicians.
"With MercyOne now fully part of Trinity Health, we are a stronger and more unified system that will strengthen MercyOne's ability to serve our patients, colleagues, and communities," Mike Slubowski, president and chief executive of Trinity Health, said in a press release announcing the completion of the purchase.
Bob Ritz, president and chief executive of MercyOne, said in the release: "We are grateful to CommonSpirit for their support in the transition and for more than 25 years of successful partnership in Iowa. We look forward to further strengthening the mission of MercyOne."
MercyOne, Genesis strategize
In a separate announcement, MercyOne and Genesis Health System said they have signed a letter of intent to develop a strategic partnership. MercyOne and Genesis Health said in a joint press release that due diligence related to the proposed partnership will be conducted over the next several months. The release did not include any details about what the partnership might include.
Doug Cropper, president and chief executive of Genesis Health System, said in the release that the system's leaders wanted a partner "willing to make significant investments in Genesis that will enhance our ability to grow, thrive and deliver more seamless integrated care in our region."
Genesis Health System is based in Davenport, Iowa. It has about 5,000 employees and serves a 17-county region of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. The system operates five hospitals and manages a sixth.
Trinity Health Michigan expands
Meanwhile, Trinity Health Michigan acquired its ninth hospital system Oct. 1. North Ottawa Community Health System, which has been operating in Grand Haven, Michigan, since 1919, now is called Trinity Health Grand Haven.
The acquired system includes an 81-bed community hospital and an 84-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitative facility as well as outpatient and urgent care facilities.
Trinity Health Michigan and the Grand Haven system have been in a strategic alliance since 2016. In March, the two systems announced their intent to merge and in July the North Ottawa Community Hospital Authority unanimously approved the proposal.
According to a release, Trinity Health Grand Haven's services continued without interruption, and its 650 employees and providers remain on staff. Many of the Grand Haven system's physicians and advanced practice clinicians joined Trinity Health Physician Partners in 2018.
Trinity Health Grand Haven continues to have a local governing board and its local leadership remains in place, including its president and chief executive, Shelleye Yaklin.
The system was secular. It now is Catholic, adhering to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. It remains a nonprofit.
In a release, leaders of Trinity Health Michigan and Trinity Health Grand Haven said there already had been care access improvements under the two systems' alliance, and now that they are merged there is more opportunity for enhancements and growth.