HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The Affordable Care Act is one of the factors that could lead to the acquisition of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington by Cabell Huntington Hospital. The parent companies of the facilities released more information Tuesday concerning ongoing negotiations.
St. Mary’s has been a mission of the Catholic-based Pallottine Missionary Sisters for nearly a century but the organization recently decided to go a different direction.
“The Pallottine Sisters have worked for 90 years to make St. Mary’s Medical Center what it is today,” St. Mary’s CEO Michael Sellards said in a Tuesday news release. “However, healthcare reform has caused hospitals throughout the nation to look at ways to meet the future challenge of healthcare. In addition, with the changing climate of healthcare and fewer Sisters to oversee our healthcare ministries, the Pallottine Missionary Sisters made the decision to end their sponsorship of St. Mary’s Medical Center.”
Sellards said his hospital is excited about a possible partnership with Cabell Huntington and Cabell Huntington’s CEO Brent Marsteller agreed.
“Cabell Huntington Hospital continuously seeks strategic partnerships and collaborations with providers and entities to prepare for population health management, increase access and manage the cost of health care,” Marsteller said in a released statement. “We are extremely excited about the potential of a close working relationship with St. Mary’s Medical Center as we see this as critical to delivering the highest quality care in the most cost effective and efficient manner. In the meantime, we will continue to operate both hospitals independently.”
The potential agreement is in its initial stages according to both hospitals. Joining the two would make a hospital system with more than 700 beds and nearly 5,000 workers.