Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, Ore., and Oregon Health & Science University in Portland will sign a letter of intent to affiliate for certain services.
Under the agreement, Mid-Columbia and OHSU will collaborate on home health care and enhance other arrangements already in effect on other service lines, such as cardiovascular and orthopedics. OHSU will also help invest in Mid-Columbia's electronic health records system. Complete financial details were not disclosed.
Duane Francis, president and CEO of Mid-Columbia, emphasized in a news release that the deal did not mean "we are merging our two organizations."
"MCMC will remain independent, locally controlled and overseen by a volunteer board of local citizens, just as it has been throughout our existence, Mr. Francis said. "But we will be looking for more opportunities to share some services with OHSU and align others, allowing both organizations to better meet community health needs."
Mid-Columbia includes a 49-bed hospital and regional cancer center. OHSU is the only academic medical center in Oregon and includes two hospitals — OHSU Hospital and OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
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