St. Vincent Health System and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are considering an affiliation aimed at expanding health care access, lowering costs and improving quality. The organizations, both of Little Rock, Ark., have signed a letter of intent to explore their options.
The affiliation could involve collaborating on services and integrating services, potentially in the areas of clinical support, clinical services, network development and campus development. Plans do not call for the organizations to formally merge.
Administrators of St. Vincent and the university health center said they hope an affiliation would enable the organizations to jointly develop new approaches for treating patients, improve education opportunities for clinicians, attract top professionals to Arkansas and improve research capabilities and the ability to apply research at the bedside.
Organization leaders said under an affiliation, the academic health center would retain its public ownership, and St. Vincent, its Catholic identity.
St. Vincent includes three hospitals, an outpatient campus and a network of other facilities. It is part of Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences includes five colleges, a graduate school, a hospital, seven institutes and a network of regional centers that includes eight public health education centers and nine centers on aging.