Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has called upon University Hospital in Louisville to maintain its public mission and offer a full range of services even if it merges with a Catholic system, according to a Courier-Journal report.
The governor's stance emerges days after Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz announced he would approve the merger only if all three participants agreed to follow Catholic directives for medical care, setting the stage for potential conflict.
Under the deal, University Hospital will merge with two systems within Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives: Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville, and St. Joseph Health System in Lexington, Ky. CHI representatives have said more details will soon be released on how the new entity will handle reproductive care prohibited by Catholic health directives.
"We public officials have concerns about the public mission of [University Hospital]. … Overall, what we want to make sure of is the public mission of [University] Hospital remains the same," Gov. Beshear said, according to the report.
Read the Courier-Journal report on the merger between University Hospital and Catholic Health Initiatives' systems.
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The governor's stance emerges days after Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz announced he would approve the merger only if all three participants agreed to follow Catholic directives for medical care, setting the stage for potential conflict.
Under the deal, University Hospital will merge with two systems within Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives: Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville, and St. Joseph Health System in Lexington, Ky. CHI representatives have said more details will soon be released on how the new entity will handle reproductive care prohibited by Catholic health directives.
"We public officials have concerns about the public mission of [University Hospital]. … Overall, what we want to make sure of is the public mission of [University] Hospital remains the same," Gov. Beshear said, according to the report.
Read the Courier-Journal report on the merger between University Hospital and Catholic Health Initiatives' systems.
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University of Louisville President Asked to Defend Hospital Merger With CHI