Kittanning, Pa.-based Armstrong County Memorial Hospital is weighing whether to become part of the Pennsylvania Mountains Care Network, a collaborative of independent community hospitals, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Oct. 26.
The hospital said the aim of the potential affiliation is to leverage economies of scale for purchasing supplies — such as medical scanners — and attracting physicians and nurses, according to the report.
The Pennsylvania Mountains Care Network allows hospital members to retain local identities and operate as a separate nonprofit organization, according to the report. Indiana Regional Medical Center and Punxsutawney Area Hospital were founding members in 2015.
Armstrong County Memorial Hospital's review will continue through the end of the year, according to the report. The 160-bed hospital had a 3.4% operating loss on $120 million in net patient revenue in 2022.