Butler (Pa.) Health System and Greensburg, Pa.-based Excela Health have signed a letter of intent to form a five-hospital system that would generate more than $1 billion in revenue.
Health system leaders said the next step is to enter a definitive agreement that will include details about leadership and the new system name. Remaining discussions and approvals could take through the end of the year, the systems said in a June 1 news release.
"We believe strongly that our new partnership will extend our intellectual and financial capital," Excela Health CEO John Sphon said. "In doing so, we can enhance access to care, decrease the cost of care and continue to focus on providing improved experiences and outcomes for patients."
If finalized, the new health system would employ aout 7,300 people and serve a population of 750,000. The new health system would be the third-largest in Western Pennsylvania based on revenue, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.