Baptist Health South Florida and Bethesda Health Sign Agreement to Explore Affiliation

In a time when hospitals across America are facing unprecedented change, the Boards of Baptist Health South Florida, headquartered in Coral Gables, and Bethesda Health, headquartered in Boynton Beach, have signed a preliminary agreement to begin exploratory discussions about a possible affiliation. The two not-for-profit healthcare organizations have announced that they will engage in discussions to evaluate opportunities for working together in the future.

“While significant challenges are ahead in healthcare, it is essential to explore partnerships that can ensure our organizations remain on the leading edge as providers of quality medical care,” said Roger L. Kirk, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Bethesda Health. “As not-for-profit hospitals, we share similar missions and a common vision for improving the health of our respective communities that can be significantly strengthened by this potential affiliation.”

“We see a very positive cultural fit between our two organizations, which is the foundation for any partnership,” said Brian E. Keeley, president and chief executive officer of Baptist Health South Florida. “This possible affiliation would give us the opportunity to jointly develop and share best practices in order to continue improving quality and access to care for our patients. It will also allow us to better prepare for healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act.”

Both Baptist Health and Bethesda Health have strong reputations in South Florida for being comprehensive healthcare organizations that provide high-quality, compassionate care to their respective communities. Executives anticipate the exploration process to take several months, and any final agreement would be subject to board approvals and necessary regulatory approvals.

About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with seven hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital) and more than 30 outpatient and urgent care facilities spanning three counties. The not-for-profit Baptist Health has more than 15,000 employees and 2,200 affiliated physicians, and also includes Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Outpatient Services and internationally renowned centers of excellence. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities. Baptist Health was just listed by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America (#19 in the nation and #1 in Florida) and has remained on the list for 14 consecutive years. It was also recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the third year in a row by the Ethisphere Institute. Visit BaptistHealth.net.

About Bethesda Health, Inc.
Bethesda Health is comprised of two not-for-profit hospitals, Bethesda Hospital East and Bethesda Hospital West, which are supported by the generosity of philanthropic community members through the Bethesda Hospital Foundation. Through our community support, we have grown to 670 physicians and more than 2,500 employees. Bethesda Health includes Bethesda Health Physician Group, Bethesda Heart Hospital, Bethesda Orthopaedics Institute, Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine, the Center for Women and Children, which includes Level III neonatal intensive care and pediatric intensive care, the Bethesda College of Health Sciences and accredited centers for Stroke, Chest Pain and Heart Failure.
Visit BethesdaWeb.com

Contacts:

Christine Kotler
Assistant Vice President
Marketing & Public Relations
Baptist Health South Florida
786-596-6534

Lisa Kronhaus
Director
Marketing & Public Relations
Bethesda Health
561-737-7733, ext. 84320