Intermountain Healthcare https://intermountainhealthcare.org and SCL Health https://www.sclhealth.org two leading nonprofit healthcare organizations, have signed a Letter of Intent to merge and create a model health system.
The new system will provide high quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare to more patients and communities in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, Montana, and Kansas. Upon completion of the merger, the combined system will employ more than 58,000 caregivers and operate 33 hospitals.
The system will run 385 clinics across six states and provide health insurance to about one million people. Intermountain and SCL Health currently provide services in adjacent areas with no geographic overlap.
The merged health system will be headquartered in Salt Lake City with a regional office in Broomfield, Colorado. Dr. Marc Harrison of Intermountain will serve as President and CEO of the merged organization. He said, “We’re excited to merge with SCL Health to usher in a new frontier for the health of communities throughout the Intermountain West and beyond.”
Lydia Jumonville of SCL Health will remain in her current role during a two year integration and serve as a board member on a new combined board to ensure the integration of the two systems. The newly integrated Board of Trustees and leadership team will be selected from both systems.
Both leaders reiterated that it is an extremely busy time for everyone in healthcare, especially given the resurgence of COVID-19. As the merger moves forward, the organizations will continue to maintain focus on caregiver and patient well-being as a top priority.
Under the Letter of Intent, while the organization will be named Intermountain Healthcare, SCL Health’s catholic hospitals will retain their distinctive Catholic names and continue to operate according to existing practices. In addition to seven Catholic hospitals, SCL operates one secular hospital, in Colorado.
The agreement is scheduled to be finalized and signed by the end of 2021 and the merger of the two companies is expected to close in early 2022, pending all approvals.