Officials from Grove City Medical Center and Allegheny Health Network (AHN) recently signed an affiliation agreement that will make Grove City the ninth AHN-owned hospital.
Pending government approval of the merger, the organizations anticipate closing on the affiliation in the next few months.
“Today is a great day for Grove City and Mercer County, and an important milestone for Grove City Medical Center as we embark upon the next chapter in our organization’s long history of service to this community,” Timothy R. Bonner, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors, said. “After months of discussion and careful deliberation, we are extremely excited to affiliate with an exceptional organization that shares our charitable mission, vision, and values. AHN and Highmark Health are committed to getting health care right, and we look forward to being part of the incredible work they are doing to provide the people of our region with the high-quality, high-value health services that they deserve.”
AHN will add or enhance various clinical services at GCMC, including primary care, neurology, oncology, cardiology, behavioral health, orthopedics, pediatrics, and general surgery. The network will also expand telehealth services at the hospital to include tele-dermatology, tele-stroke and autoimmune consultations and install the Epic electronic health record system at Grove City’s main campus and its satellite facilities.
As part of the affiliation agreement, AHN and GCMC will help to fund the new independent Grove City Health Care Foundation with an initial endowment of up to $30 million, which will be spent locally in Grove City on health and wellness initiatives. A board, made up primarily of current GCMC board members, will determine how the resources are allocated.
AHN will also invest an additional $40 million over the next 10 years to further enhance GCMC’s clinical programs, technological capabilities, and physical infrastructure.
“At Allegheny Health Network, we place immense value on the essential role that community hospitals and other community-based resources play in the overall quality of a region’s health care delivery system,” Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN president and CEO, said. “Grove City Medical Center provides outstanding care and services to the Mercer County region, and we look forward to working with the hospital’s many talented and dedicated caregivers to assure that tradition only grows stronger in the months, years and decades ahead.”