Ardent Health Services and the University of Texas System will use East Texas Medical Healthcare Systems’ facilities to form a new regional healthcare system, according to ETMCHR officials.
Ardent will be the majority owner and run operations of the new system. The partnership will invest $150 million over five years in the new system, according to the Sept. 13, 2017 announcement.
A new board of directors, which will include local physicians, will govern the new system. A local foundation also will be formed to promote the health and wellness of East Texans.
The deal will be finalized after it receives government regulatory approval.
ETMC facilities include a network of nine hospitals and 39 clinics, including operations in Gun Barrel City and Athens. Other assets include Olympic Plaza Tower, rehabilitation facilities, physician clinics, regional home health services, behavioral health center and trauma-care centers. UT Health Northeast will contribute its hospital and other operations to the new system.
ETMC officials began exploring merger options in February 2017 to expand and improve health care services to East Texas.