UPDATE
We would like to take this opportunity to provide our community with an update about progress made regarding an affiliation between St. Margaret’s Health and Illinois Valley Community Hospital, as part of SMP Health System.
Since we announced our intent to affiliate in March, we have been going through a process called due diligence. This includes a comprehensive analysis of the operations and finances of both organizations, as well as legal and regulatory considerations. Through our due diligence, we will determine how an affiliation would enable us to better serve our patients and communities.
We are taking all necessary steps to make sure that we are going about this in the right way. We want to ensure that we move forward in a way that makes us stronger stewards of healthcare for our communities. As part of this complex and lengthy process, our organizations have shared hundreds of documents and thousands of pages for review. Both organizations are working with experienced legal counsel and advisors who have special expertise in hospital partnerships. While due diligence is progressing deliberately, we are still on track to achieve our goal, which is the signing of a binding Definitive Agreement, later this summer.
A leadership team from St. Margaret’s and SMP Health System met with IVCH’s Board of Directors and Administration at the end of May. The meeting was overwhelmingly positive, with leaders from both organizations discussing their shared vision for the future of healthcare in the Illinois Valley. Both organizations, whose Board members are comprised of local community and business leaders, see a great deal of potential in combining our strengths to improve access to high quality healthcare and increase our service offerings, close to home.
We look forward to sharing details of the proposed regional health network as they are developed. As soon as there is more information to share, you will hear it from us first.
We are grateful for the support received from our patients, staff and community members. We remain as committed as ever to working together to provide the best healthcare for residents of the Illinois Valley, now and long into the future.
Tim Muntz, President/CEO, St. Margaret’s Health
We have exciting news to share about the future of healthcare in the Illinois Valley. St. Margaret’s Health and Illinois Valley Community Hospital (IVCH) plan on coming together to form a regional health network as a part of SMP Health System. The hospitals have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to develop an affiliation structure to strengthen healthcare services across our region.
By joining together, we aim to create a sustainable health network that will be able to meet the needs of our communities today and long into the future. We will work collaboratively to provide comprehensive, high-quality services so you can receive the care you need close to home.
St. Margaret’s and IVCH have a shared vision for efficiently delivering high-quality healthcare in the region, which will be carried through into our affiliation. Our hospitals already successfully collaborate on joint initiatives, such as Valley Regional Health Services and Valley Regional Cancer Center.
St. Margaret’s Health and IVCH have each served this region for more than 100 years. Given the changes happening in healthcare today, the time has never been better for our organizations to come together.
This is just the beginning of the process, so no changes will happen immediately. We intend to continue operating both hospital campuses for the time being. It is too early to know what services will be expanded and where they will be located.
We aim to make this process as smooth as possible for our patients and are committed to keeping you informed all along the way. As our affiliation takes shape, patients will be able to expect superior healthcare delivered in the same compassionate manner.
The best interests of our patients, medical staff, employees and our communities will be driving our decisions throughout this process.
St. Margaret’s and IVCH are excited about the opportunity this affiliation presents to better serve you and your family. We are honored to care for you and are grateful for your continued support.
Joyce McCullough, Chair of the St. Margaret’s Board of Directors, stated, “With a shared commitment to this region, we will collaborate to deliver to patients across the Illinois Valley the outstanding care they need
and deserve.”
Following receipt of approval from Church and regulatory authorities, the goal of the two organizations is to sign a binding Definitive Agreement in the months ahead.
“St. Margaret’s and IVCH have proudly served this region for more than 100 years. The delivery of care has changed dramatically over that time and we believe we can provide our patients even better care close to home by coming together,” said Tim Muntz, St. Margaret’s President/CEO. Aaron Alton, President/CEO of SMP Health System, commented that, “Since the first Sisters of Mary of the Presentation arrived in 1903, St. Margaret’s has been proudly serving the area with quality care in the Catholic tradition. We are excited about this opportunity to provide compassionate care to the communities and surrounding areas served by St. Margaret’s and IVCH, in the same spirit of the SMP Sisters.”
“By IVCH joining St. Margaret’s and becoming part of the SMP Health System, the combined network will be able to deliver high quality, efficient and coordinated care locally beyond what we were able to do separately,” said Tommy Hobbs, IVCH CEO. Jim Loveland, Chair of the IVCH Board of Directors, noted, “We took to heart our communities’ long-time call for IVCH and St. Margaret’s to work together more closely.”