“Together, we are stronger.”
That’s the top message from Bob Ritz, president and CEO of the MercyOne health system, on Wednesday, March 1, as he outlined the acquisition of Davenport-based Genesis Health System by MercyOne.
MercyOne and Genesis leaders announced the completion of the acquisition on Wednesday, stating that the deal will help patients, spur more health services, bring more resources to the community and help get and retain more healthcare professionals.
“This allows us to grow and improve the health care in our community. The partnership will allow us to do things together we could never do alone,” said Dr. Kurt Andersen, chief clinical officer/chief medical officer with Genesis.
Doug Cropper, president and CEO of Genesis Health System, added the deal will bring more stability to the healthcare industry in the area. “It’s a very positive thing for the community. … It’s patient care as usual and this will allow us to get better,” he added.
Mr. Cropper, Dr. Anderson and Mr. Ritz made those comments late Wednesday afternoon when they hosted a Zoom meeting to outline the MercyOne-Genesis deal.
Some of the other issues addressed during the meeting included:
- Name change: The Genesis facilities will not undergo any name changes under the deal – at least, not in the near future. Mr. Cropper said that probably in the next two years, the name issue will be studied. If there is a name change, “Genesis” would have to be part of that new name, he added.
- Job cuts or layoffs: Mr. Ritz said there will be no jobs eliminated. However, while discussing the topic, he added that healthcare officials need to continue to improve efficiencies. He said that while the Genesis and MercyOne finances are in good shape, the overall healthcare system in the country is not. “The economic underpinnings of our healthcare system is fragile,” he said.
- Workforce development: The health officials added that they believe the move will help attract more talented professionals to the region. Mr. Cropper said: “As part of MercyOne, Genesis will be able to leverage the skill, talent, and scale of national and regional resources while retaining our local leadership and focus. We will deepen our commitment to quality, safety and patient experience and strengthen our workforce retention and recruitment efforts.”
- Impact to patients: The health officials said patients will not have to do anything different because of the deal, and their services will not change.
The Genesis Health System Board of Directors unanimously selected MercyOne as its choice for a partner after an exploration process that began in December 2021.
“As part of MercyOne, Genesis will be able to leverage the skill, talent and scale of national and regional resources while retaining our local leadership and focus,” Doug Cropper, Genesis Health System president and CEO, said in a news release. “We will deepen our commitment to quality, safety and patient experience and strengthen our workforce retention and recruitment efforts. By joining MercyOne, Genesis will continue our ability to grow, thrive and deliver more integrated care in the region.”
Genesis Philanthropy and the Genesis Health Services Foundation will continue to serve the Quad-Cities area communities. Genesis Health Services Foundation will remain a part of the unified health system. Genesis Philanthropy will operate under a new name, the Better Health Foundation, and will be independent from the health system.
Among the commitments made as part of joining MercyOne, Genesis Health System provided the Better Health Foundation with $40 million in funds, ensuring its future as one of the region’s preeminent granting organizations. The Better Health Foundation will be fully operational on July 1.
Since announcing the letter of intent on Sept. 14, Genesis and MercyOne have taken the necessary steps including regulatory filings to finalize the agreement, the organizations said. As integration efforts continue, patients can expect the same quality care from the providers they know and trust, they added.
MercyOne, headquartered in Clive, Iowa, is a member of Trinity Health, headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the country with 88 hospitals across 26 states. Trinity Health is not affiliated with any Iowa-based entities currently using the name Trinity. It is a family of 123,000 colleagues and nearly 27,000 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 26 states.
Genesis Health System, its affiliates and partners, offer a continuum of health care services for a 17-county region of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
“We are all part of MercyOne. … We believe together, we are stronger. We believe together we will be able to serve our communities better,” Mr. Ritz said during the Wednesday Zoom meeting.
