Mercy to take over Via Christi Hospital in Joplin
Feb. 15—Mercy and Ascension announced an agreement Thursday morning to transfer ownership of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas, its locations and its related physician practices to Mercy.
"Via Christi and Mercy have both served the area for more than 120 years, and we couldn't be more thrilled to bring the hospital into the Mercy system," Jeremy Drinkwitz, president of Mercy Joplin communities, said in a statement. "We've been impressed with the care Via Christi has provided Pittsburg for years, and we want to continue that long legacy of Catholic health care. We're 100% committed to caring for Pittsburg and all of Southeast Kansas for years to come."
The announcement comes six months after Freeman Health System announced plans to spend about $168 million to build a 170,000-square-foot, 50-bed, full-service hospital in Pittsburg.
Mercy and Ascension said their deal is subject to regulatory and other required third-party approvals.
Cindy Samuelson, senior Vice President for member and public relations at the Kansas Hospital Association, said the regulatory processes in Kansas is different from those in Missouri in many ways.
According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, a research organization that studies how markets solve problems, Missouri is one of 39 states that regulates the growth of hospitals and a variety of specific health care services.
Missouri has a Certificate of Need programs which "prohibit health care providers from entering new markets or making changes to their existing capacity without first gaining the approval of state regulators."
Samuelson said Kansas is one of 11 states that does not have certificates of need.
"We don't have that requirement in our state so that makes us different from some states that do," Samuelson said. "Some people say that's a good thing and some don't but there are some differences between Missouri and Kansas and that's one of them"
Both Catholic hospital groups said they "will engage in a transition planning process that includes Mercy community roundtable listening tours — a tradition when Mercy welcomes a new hospital. These events typically include business and civic leaders, physicians, nurses, elected officials and other community representatives, who are invited to meet with hospital leaders to help determine next steps in the community planning process."
Jordan Larimore, spokesperson for Mercy Hospital Joplin, said Mercy hopes to have its Human Resources systems and other infrastructure in place at the Pittsburg hospital by July 1.
Larimore said the final transfer may take a year or so to complete.
"I know that first thing our leaders want to do is to get on site there at the hospital and develop relationships with the physicians and coworkers there," Larimore said. "I'm not sure as far as the rest of the community when those meetings would occur. They'll be part of that whole transition process."
Mercy operates two hospitals in Kansas — Mercy Hospital Columbus and Mercy Specialty Hospital-Southeast Kansas in Galena — and two primary care clinics.
"Ascension Via Christi in Pittsburg has been committed to our mission of serving all persons, with special attention to those who are most vulnerable. As a regional provider, Mercy is well positioned to carry on this legacy, serving the community through an integrated care delivery system," Kevin Strecker, Ascension's president and CEO, said in a statement. "This transition will ensure that the Pittsburg community has sustainable, quality health care access long into the future."
Ascension Living Via Christi Village facilities and operations are not included in this transaction.
Mercy is one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems with more than 50 acute care and specialty hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Freeman is also one of the largest health care providers in the region.
In making the announcement last summer, Paula Baker, CEO of Freeman, said: "Not only will this new hospital serve the medical and wellness needs of Southeast Kansas, but it will also be very good for the local economy. We estimate that between 500 and 1,000 new jobs will be created as part of this endeavor."
Baker also said at the time that Freeman has a sizable footprint in Pittsburg, with several primary care clinics, an outpatient surgery center and a comprehensive medical oncology program. Freeman also renewed its partnership as the exclusive provider of sports medicine for Pittsburg State University athletics last summer.
