St. Louis-based SSM Health has signed letters of intent to sell three of its Missouri hospitals and their affiliated outpatient facilities and services to two nonprofit health care systems in the state.
The nonprofit Catholic SSM Health is in exclusive discussions to transfer ownership of the 154-bed SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital – Jefferson City, Mo., and the 88-bed SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital – Audrain in Mexico, Mo., to University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia, Mo. MU Health Care is an academic health system with a hospital, cancer center, orthopedic institute, psychiatric center, and women's and children's hospital, all in Columbia. MU Health Care is affiliated with the University of Missouri Schools of Medicine, Health Professions and Nursing and has affiliated medical facilities, primarily around central Missouri.
Separately, SSM Health is in exclusive discussions to transfer ownership of the 81-bed SSM Health St. Francis Hospital – Maryville, Mo., to Mosaic Life Care. That physician-led system includes three hospitals and a network of outpatient facilities around northwest Missouri. Mosaic is part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
According to a press release, SSM Health's board of directors has been evaluating options for these three campuses "to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of these vital ministries."
SSM Health President and Chief Executive Laura Kaiser said that due to dramatic changes in health care over the past several years, health systems "must integrate all points of service across the entire continuum of care" in order to provide safe, high-quality care that is convenient and affordable. Kaiser said that given the close proximity of the potential new owners to the SSM Health hospitals being sold, "we feel this transition of ownership will best serve the people of Jefferson City, Mexico, Maryville and surrounding communities."
In a statement, Kaiser said the potential new owners have many values in common with SSM Health, including care for the poor and vulnerable, community engagement and a concern for the welfare of employees and patients.
SSM Health expects the due diligence process now underway to take several months. Details of the sales will be finalized during this process.
Bishop Shawn McKnight of the Diocese of Jefferson City released a statement Aug. 16, the day SSM Health announced the potential sale. The Jefferson City and Mexico ministries are within his diocese. Bishop McKnight said with SSM Health's announcement, "we are witnessing the end of a long chapter of Catholic hospitals in our community."
He said the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, the founding sponsors of SSM Health, have had a presence in the region for over a century, providing "healing, compassionate and holistic care for the sick and suffering." The diocese will continue Catholic health care outreach to the sick, elderly and poor in other forms "although without the benefit of Catholic hospitals, " he said.
"This time of transition offers us the opportunity to thank God for all the good that has been accomplished by the founding sisters and their collaborators over the years, and to ask for his guidance in continuing this work into the future," Bishop McKnight wrote.
SSM Health has 24 hospitals — including the three under negotiation for sale — in Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. It is sponsored by SSM Health Ministries, a public juridic person.
Copyright © 2018 by the Catholic Health Association
of the United States
For reprint permission, contact Betty Crosby or call (314) 253-3490.
Copyright © 2018 by the Catholic Health Association
of the United States
For reprint permission, contact Betty Crosby or call (314) 253-3490.