Henry Ford Health and Ascension Michigan have signed an agreement to enter a joint venture officials said will bring together Ascension’s southeast Michigan and Genesys healthcare facilities and assets with Henry Ford’s.
This will allow both organizations to advance the health of the communities they serve and improve outcomes, access and equity for all by establishing an integrated network focused on population health and community initiatives that support the region’s most vulnerable populations, as well as innovation, academic medicine, and advanced, complex care, officials said in a press release Wednesday.
“Together we can expand healthcare services and deliver innovations in care — from prevention and early detection through the treatment of complex conditions — to more people and communities across our state, including those who are most vulnerable,” said Henry Ford Health President and CEO Robert Riney. “We share a deeply-rooted dedication to providing world-class healthcare that everyone deserves, regardless of geographic, demographic, or socioeconomic status.”
Ascension senior vice president Carol Schmidt said Ascension and Henry Ford are “united in our shared values, cultures and commitment to those we serve.”
“Together, we will make significant strides in improving the health of Michigan communities through unparalleled investments in critical community health initiatives, as well as contributing secure, high paying jobs and other related employment,” Schmidt said.
The combined organization would employ approximately 50,000 team members at more than 550 sites of care across the region.
Ascension Michigan’s acute care hospitals that are included in the partnership are Ascension Genesys Hospital; Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Warren and Madison Heights Campuses; Ascension Providence Hospital, Novi and Southfield Campuses; Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital; Ascension River District Hospital; and Ascension St. John Hospital.
All the acute care hospitals’ related sites of care will also be included, as well as Ascension Brighton Center for Recovery. All of Henry Ford’s acute care hospitals and other care facilities and assets, including Health Alliance Plan, will be included in the partnership.
Ascension Michigan’s southwest and northern hospitals — Ascension Borgess Hospital, Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital; Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital, Ascension Borgess-Pipp Hospital; Ascension St. Joseph Hospital, Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital and Ascension Standish Hospital — will “remain valued members” of Ascension’s national health ministry and continue to provide their communities with high-quality Catholic healthcare, according to the release.
The expanded organization, slated to be branded Henry Ford Health, will remain headquartered in Detroit. It would be led by President and CEO Bob Riney and governed by a Board of Directors representative of both organizations. Both organizations are committed to working to maintain the Catholic identity of the Ascension Michigan facilities included in the partnership. Conversations on the future state of the Catholic identity of these facilities are ongoing.
Through a fully integrated healthcare delivery network, the joint venture would “deliver exceptional performance in quality, safety, and service,” officials said. This expanded care network will create “greater opportunities to coordinate, grow, and adapt services and care settings” to meet consumer needs in the new, post-pandemic normal – expanding access to care, lowering costs and improving health outcomes.
“Patients across Michigan will have more access than ever to end-to-end healthcare services, from primary care through complex specialty care and procedures,” said Dr. Doug Apple, Chief Clinical Officer, Ascension Michigan. “Together, we will coordinate existing and expanded services to surround our patients with what they need to live healthy lives – with more options closer to home. By focusing on the creation of an integrated, streamlined healthcare journey, we can improve the consumer experience, improve care coordination, and provide superior value.”
By coming together, the combined organization would provide expanded career pathways and increased opportunities for career development and advancement at more sites and in more areas, as well as amplifying the capabilities of Henry Ford Health and Ascension Michigan to attract and grow top talent.
This joint venture is also designed to expand opportunities for healthcare providers, including significantly enhanced patient-centered care delivery models and improved care coordination through interconnectivity between patients, providers, and care management functions.
“The commitment of the new combined organization to clinical excellence, educational partnerships and research remains steadfast, as is the focus on continuing to advance research that has immediate clinical applications and will improve treatment and outcomes,” said Dr. Adnan Munkarah, President, Care Delivery System & Chief Clinical Officer, Henry Ford Health. “Additionally, the expanded footprint created through this joint venture will allow Henry Ford Health to provide outstanding comprehensive medical care, train more physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals, at more sites, and in more specialties, across the communities we serve.”
The organizations are in the process of submitting the agreement to state and federal regulatory agencies for review and hope the transaction will close by summer 2024.
