Boards approve non-binding agreement
Oconee Medical Center has taken another step in the process to become part of Greenville Health System (GHS) after both boards approved a non-binding Letter of Intent last week. In January, the two systems approved a Memorandum of Understanding to study opportunities to collaborate and develop a specific agreement.
Oconee Medical Center had met over several years with regional nonprofit health care organizations and for-profit companies seeking ways to affiliate, but was comfortable with a South Carolina-based partner, said Oconee president and CEO Jeanne Ward.
After the memorandum’s approval, a consulting firm studied the potential benefits of a merger and reported to a task force of two administrators and three board members from each health care system.
The preliminary agreement, which is due to be considered by both boards in June, could be a long-term lease of at least 50 years and full integration of Oconee Medical Center into GHS, according to a statement. Oconee would continue to have its own medical staff.
Oconee Medical Center and GHS have previously collaborated on a program that links cancer patients to GHS research, a stroke telemedicine program and a cardiac care program.
“This agreement follows more than two months of analysis and discussion between our two organizations about whether and how to move forward,” said Rick Phillips, board chairman of Oconee Medical Center, in a statement. “We are pleased to take this important step toward enhancing the delivery of high-quality local health care services to the people of Oconee County and surrounding communities.”
Mike Riordan, president and CEO of GHS, said, “Moving forward, we believe that health systems are going to have to deliver health care in a very different way in order to ensure that the right care is delivered at the right place at the right time.”
Riordan said the “most successful health systems will develop multi-community integrated delivery systems that focus on keeping people healthier over their entire lives. The old episodic way of treating patients simply isn’t working anymore and too often results in fragmented or insufficient care.”
Oconee Medical Center operates a 169-bed hospital and has a staff of more than 120 physicians, while GHS currently has six campuses and 1,358 beds. GHS took over the operations of Laurens County Health System in 2013 and maintains a 50 percent partnership to run Baptist Easley Hospital. GHS is the largest employer in Greenville County and largest health care system in the state.
