Jeffersonville, Ind.-based Clark Memorial Hospital, Louisville, Ky.-based Norton Healthcare and Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Hospitals are discussing a potential regional partnership, according to a report by The Courier-Journal.
Martin Padgett, president and CEO of Clark Memorial, said in a statement that the hospital is eyeing an opportunity presented by Norton Healthcare and LifePointHospitals through their joint venture, Regional Health Network of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, according to the report. No other details of the proposal were given.
The Courier-Journal noted that any merger or acquisition plan requires approval from Clark County leaders, as Clark Memorial is a county-owned hospital.
According to the report, Clark Memorial has been looking into a partnership since 2012 "in response to declining patient revenues amidincreased challengesfor independent community hospitals due to healthcare reform, economic uncertainty and increased competition from neighboring providers."
In 2012, Clark Memorial and Nortonsigneda letter of intent and began exploring a potential partnership. However, that proposed merger was never finalized.
LifePoint has formed various joint ventures, including with Duke LifePoint Healthcare, which is a partnership with Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C. Duke LifePoint, and with Norton Healthcare.
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