St. Francis-Emory Healthcare to become ‘flagship’ hospital for new health system
The owner of St. Francis-Emory Healthcare is merging with a hospital chain to create a new healthcare company by the end of 2021.
LifePoint Health, owner of the hospital, and Kindred Healthcare announced plans Tuesday to establish ScionHealth, a new national health system that will launch at the close of LifePoint’s acquisition of Kindred.
“LifePoint’s decision to transition its ownership of St. Francis-Emory Healthcare into ScionHealth speaks volumes to the strength of our hospital,” Melody Trimble, chief executive officer of St. Francis-Emory Healthcare, said in the release. “Within ScionHealth, St. Francis-Emory Healthcare will be a flagship facility. All the while, our joint venture with Emory, commitment to quality and patient safety, and access to resources will remain unchanged.”
LifePoint Health said in a press release Tuesday that it plans to transition its stake of ownership in St. Francis-Emory Healthcare to ScionHealth. St. Francis will remain a joint venture with Emory Healthcare and become a flagship hospital for the new system, according to a news release from LifePoint Health.
“St. Francis-Emory Healthcare will be an important part of ScionHealth’s operations,” hospital spokesperson Grant Farrimond said. “Being considered a flagship hospital for the system speaks volumes to the strength of our hospital and continued commitment to the communities we serve.”
The transition will not impact the St. Francis-Emory leadership team, and there will be “little change” in day-to-day operations, according to the release.
There will be “no reduction” to St. Francis’ workforce as a result of the move. Reporting structures currently in place at the hospital will stay the same, Farrimond said.
ScionHealth will be headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and led by a management team drawing from LifePoint and Kindred, a healthcare company with long-term, acute care hospitals and rehabilitation services. It will consist of 79 hospital campuses in 25 states, including Kindred’s 61 long-term acute care hospitals and 18 of LifePoint’s community hospitals and associated health systems.
Rob Jay, who serves as executive vice president of integrated operations at LifePoint, will serve as the CEO of ScionHealth.
ScionHealth is expected to launch by the end of the year pending regulatory approval and closing procedures, the release states.
LifePoint Health acquired St. Francis in December 2015.
The hospital had operated as a nonprofit since its founding in 1950 — which changed when LifePoint bought it. LifePoint assumed and paid off about $240 million in debt acquired by St. Francis as a term for the purchase.
A St. Francis-Emory Healthcare spokesperson was not reached for comment before publication.
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 11:32 AM.
