After many months in the making, MedCentral Health System has officially partnered with OhioHealth to become OhioHealth’s regional hub for healthcare.
The partnership was made official after a ceremony Monday afternoon at MedCentral Mansfield, where prominent figures in both MedCentral and OhioHealth expressed their gratitude and excitement for the future of the two non-profit hospital systems.
“This has been a long time in the making,” said Cheryl Herbert, Senior Vice President of Shared Services at OhioHealth. “OhioHealth’s vision for MedCentral is about partnership, success and growth.”
MedCentral signed an official letter of intent in May of 2013, and as of Monday became a full member of the OhioHealth family. The hospital will take its place in the OhioHealth system along with 12 other hospitals including Riverside Methodist and Grant Medical System, as well as 25 other healthcare facilities throughout the state. MedCentral will be OhioHealth’s third largest member.
“As we reviewed potential partners it was important to find the best cultural fit for this institution and our citizens, and protect but grow quality healthcare for the entire region,” said David Eichinger, Chairman of MedCentral’s Board of Trustees. “OhioHealth is one of the highest performing healthcare providers in the country, and we’re proud to be associated with them. I couldn’t be more confident that we’ve chosen the right path for Richland County.”
MedCentral is the largest regional employer and healthcare provider with 2,400 members of the medical staff and 500 volunteers serving patients from around the area, all of whom will be keeping their jobs in the transition. David Blom, President and Chief Executive Officer of OhioHealth said he’d never met so many employees who had been in one place for 30 or more years.
“This journey that we’ve been on has been trying to figure out whether this relationship will accomplish what we both aspire to here in North Central Ohio,” said Blom. “Our associates are glad that journey is over and they’re ready to move on to the next. They’re really excited about the future, and we are too.”
As part of MedCentral’s growing future with OhioHealth, Blom announced plans to build a major expansion to the MedCentral Mansfield Hospital. In the next few weeks plans will begin to build a 123,000 square foot medical office building, including a 34,000 square foot surgery department with 10 new surgery suites plus two new open-heart surgery suites and a 26,000 square foot renovated hospital space.
The building addition will also include office space for additional physician specialists, as Blom noted the hospital is on pace to recruit around 40 new physicians to this part of the state in the next few years.
“As we’ve gone through the due diligence, looked at the data, interviewed people, talked to physicians, dreamt about what’s possible, I’m more convinced than ever before that we’re on the right path,” said Blom.
At the end of Monday’s ceremony, representatives for both MedCentral and OhioHealth turned over the dirt of a ficus tree in a symbolic gesture of growth and strength in the new partnership. Robert Exten, President of the Medical Staff at MedCentral, said he was excited for MedCentral’s new affiliation with OhioHealth and the opportunities it brings for healthcare to the people of Richland County and the surrounding areas.
“We’ve always strived to be at the forefront of patient care,” said Exten. “With the rapid changes in healthcare that are occurring nationwide, this affiliation between MedCentral and the OhioHealth family is essential to us not only for maintaining our current level of care, but to guarantee our patients the facilities and expertise that we would need for 21st century healthcare.”
“This has been a long time in the making,” said Cheryl Herbert, Senior Vice President of Shared Services at OhioHealth. “OhioHealth’s vision for MedCentral is about partnership, success and growth.”
