St. Joseph Health of Irvine, Calif., and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian of Newport Beach, Calif., have completed an affiliation announced last summer. The two have organized their Southern California hospitals into a network called Covenant Health Network.
Five St. Joseph Health hospitals and two Hoag hospitals are in the network.
St. Joseph and Hoag did not formally merge or consolidate assets; and their hospitals will retain their individual faith identities: St. Joseph is Catholic; and Hoag, Presbyterian.
Dr. Richard Afable, Hoag president and chief executive, is Covenant Health Network president and chief executive and executive vice president of St. Joseph's Southern California region.
St. Joseph and Hoag said in a release that the affiliation will enable the seven facilities to improve health care delivery, accessibility and affordability. Covenant Health Network will focus on preventive health, improved access for underserved populations, improved clinical outcomes and population health.
Covenant Health Network also is working with health plans to design and bring to market new insurance products.