The board of trustees of Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health agreed last week to postpone voting on a planned merger with Advocate Aurora Health until physician grievances are addressed.
The trustees decided to delay the vote after physicians presented the results of a seven-question survey completed by 1,500 of Beaumont's 5,000 physicians. The results of the survey, which was developed by physician leaders, were critical of Beaumont's management and proposed merger with Advocate Aurora, sources told Crain's Detroit Business.
The board is in the process of meeting with physicians to address their concerns, many of which are hospital specific, and determine the best path forward, a Beaumont spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review. There is not a date set for the board to vote on the merger with Advocate Aurora, which has dual headquarters in Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Ill.
"We value the new feedback and input we received from 1,500 of our 5,000 physicians and we’re committed to listening to them," Beaumont said in an emailed statement to Becker's. "Our talented team of physicians has helped make Beaumont the leading health system in the region. They are also critical to our future success."
Beaumont and Advocate Aurora signed a nonbinding letter of intent in June to create a health system spanning Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. The merger would create a $17 billion system with 36 hospitals.