Lourdes, Guthrie Q&A: What deal means for patients, branding, religious affiliation

An agreement transferring ownership of Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, its locations and related physician practices from Ascension to the Pennsylvania-based Guthrie Clinic was announced earlier this month.

​​​All current Lourdes services, facilities, providers and associates, including Lourdes' cancer and health and wellness centers and their network of primary care providers will be transitioned to Guthrie by early 2024.

With the agreement, Lourdes will join a network of 700 providers in over 50 specialties and subspecialties. Guthrie currently operates five other hospitals in Pennsylvania and New York.

As they navigate the transition, Guthrie president and CEO Dr. Edmund Sabanegh Jr. and Lourdes president and CEO Kathy Connerton answered a number of questions about what changes patients can expect to see, the impact on Lourdes' facilities including its fitness center at Oakdale Commons and Lourdes' religious affiliation.

Do you have questions about Guthrie's acquisition of Lourdes? Scroll to the bottom of this story or click here to connect with us.

Why is Guthrie acquiring Lourdes?

Guthrie is looking to expand its company footprint.

Sabanegh said the clinic began exploring like-minded partners following the completion of a strategic planning process in 2022, which refocused the organization around communities and keeping the highest quality of care local.

"We rapidly discovered a real affinity for the Lourdes team, the Lourdes community and really their mission," Sabanegh said. "We've long admired the Lourdes team and their reputation and we both have a strong tradition of serving our communities, providing care where patients live and we believe that this transaction will allow us to continue that joint tradition."

How will patients be impacted by the switch?

We don't know yet.

While there is much to be determined following the transition, Sabanegh said there will be no significant impacts to patients and Connerton said patients can expect to continue seeing the same providers.

The one change, Sabanegh hopes, will be an expansion of services.

"The doctor that patients have today will be the same doctor when we become part of the Guthrie family," Connerton said.

Guthrie to acquire Lourdes: Here's which practices are affected, timeline

Will Lourdes still have a religious affiliation?

The short answer is no.

Once the transition happens, Lourdes will no longer be a faith-based nonprofit organization, according to both officials, and will not be obligated to adhere to traditional Catholic ethical and religious directives provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

There is one exception to that change. The chapel inside Lourdes Hospital will remain consecrated and accessible to all.

"An important aspect of the decision that we made together along the way was that both Guthrie and Lourdes wanted to allow for our chapel on the main floor to remain consecrated," Connerton said. "That chapel has been here for almost 100 years and the community has always supported and loved it and we're very happy to be able to say that we are able to keep that consecrated for the community and for our Lourdes and soon-to-be Guthrie family."

Lourdes' Daughters of Charity, who founded the hospital in 1925, departed in 2017.

What about branding?

There will be some changes.

Guthrie is looking at ways to incorporate Lourdes into the naming convention once the acquisition is complete. Sabanegh said they also want to ensure the new name respects the Lourdes legacy.

That includes the Lourdes Health and Fitness Center at the Oakdale Commons in Johnson City.

Sabanegh said Guthrie aims to continue the gym's commitment to the community "and to grow it." He anticipated the Lourdes name would continue to be at the front and center of the space.

Video: Guthrie president and CEO announces Lourdes acquisition

What costs are involved with the acquisition?

That hasn't been made public yet.

Framework for purchase price has been agreed to by all parties involved, Sabanegh said, but can't be disclosed at this time.

More details are expected to be shared as items are finalized and approved, including addressing major technology needs, such as electronic medical records.

An exact timeline was not provided.

"You always think getting to the announcement date is the hard work," Connerton said. "But clearly, now to the time we are fully integrated, there's a good deal of work that has to be done by both organizations together."

If current patients have questions, where should they direct them?

Guthrie and Lourdes encourage patients to reach out to their current care teams with questions.

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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Guthrie's acquisition of Lourdes will bring changes: What we know