Harbor Beach (Mich.) Community Hospital is planning to merge with Pigeon, Mich.-based Scheurer Health.
Five things to know:
1. The trustees from the two hospitals signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding on Oct. 28 that will serve as the framework to integrate Harbor Beach Community Hospital into the healthcare network of Scheurer Health, according to a post on Scheurer's website.
2. The signing of the memorandum comes after the trustees hired SSB Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in value-focused strategies for healthcare. The firm's findings matched sentiment from leaders of both hospitals that joining forces could lead to an increase in the quality and number of services while also stabilizing and ensuring both of their futures.
3. Under the agreement, Harbor Beach Community Hospital will retain its name and identity, while matching the look of the Scheurer brand. Harbor Beach and Scheurer Health will remain their own hospitals.
4. Harbor Beach will be implementing Epic as part of the agreement.
5. Scheurer President and CEO Ross Ramsey, MD, and Harbor Beach Community Hospital President and CEO Jill Wehner said in a statement that no jobs will be lost as a direct result of the merger.
"In fact, our projections show that both locations will see an uptick in patients and services provided," the leaders said.