Newswise — YAKIMA, Wash.-- Memorial Family of Services, which includes Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, is a step closer to joining Seattle-based Virginia Mason Health System after leaders of both organizations signed the legal document Nov. 11 paving the way for the affiliation to take effect in early 2016.
Virginia Mason Chairman and CEO Gary S. Kaplan, MD, and Memorial CEO Russ Myers signed the definitive agreement at Memorial hospital in Yakima. Jim Berg, chairman of the Memorial Board of Trustees, and James Young, chairman of the Virginia Mason Board of Directors, also signed the document. “This affiliation will advance Memorial’s commitment to meeting the needs of our community,” Myers said. “We are joining a nationally acclaimed organization that shares our view that all individuals should have access to high quality, safe and affordable health care.”
“I am very pleased that Memorial Family of Services and Virginia Mason are coming together to better serve patients on both sides of the Cascades,” said Dr. Kaplan. “We are partnering with a community-focused organization that embraces our vision for the future of health care and our determination to deliver high quality care at the lowest possible cost.”
The affiliation is a non-cash transaction in which the Yakima-based Memorial organization will become part of Virginia Mason Health System. The affiliation is expected to take effect in early 2016 following Federal Trade Commission regulatory clearance. “Perhaps the most important aspect of the affiliation is the cultural fit between our non-profit organizations, which is essential for successful collaboration,” Myers said. “This is an exciting day for Memorial and it’s a historic day for our community.”
Signing of the definitive agreement capped months of evaluation and study by the organizations’ boards and leadership teams. “Memorial’s affiliation with Virginia Mason allows two innovative, patient-centered organizations to work as one in establishing a comprehensive network of care,” Dr. Kaplan said.
The affiliation will also expand Virginia Mason’s presence in Central Washington, where it already has partnerships with Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg and Confluence Health in Wenatchee for providing or supporting specific services.
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