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Intermountain Healthcare to merge with SCL Health by 2022

By Staff | Sep 16, 2021

Intermountain Healthcare logo

SALT LAKE CITY — Intermountain Healthcare and SCL Health have signed a letter of intent to merge.

The announcement came during a press conference on Thursday.

The merger, expected to close in early 2022, will provide high-quality, accessible and affordable health care to more communities and patients in six states, including Utah, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Kansas and Colorado, said Dr. Marc Harrison, Intermountain’s president and CEO. Together, the two organizations with no geographic overlap, will operate 33 hospitals, employ 58,000 caregivers, run 385 clinics and provide health insurance to about 1 million people.

“We’re excited to merge with SCL Health to usher in a new frontier for the health of communities throughout the Intermountain West and beyond,” Harrison said. “American health care needs to accelerate the evolution toward population health and value, and this merger will swiftly advance that cause across a broader geography. We’ll bring together the best practices of both organizations to do even more to enhance clinical excellence, transform the patient experience and support healthy lives.”

In this screenshot taken from video, Dr. Marc Harrison, president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare, announces the merger of IHC and SCL Health during a press conference Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021.

Harrison said both organizations feel strongly that American health care needs to evolve toward population health and value. This merger will excel that movement both regionally and nationally.

“We are bringing together the best practices of both organizations to help keep people healthy as well as take care of them when they’re sick,” Harrison said.

Founded by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in 1864, SCL Health is a nonprofit, faith-based organization that serves eight hospitals, more than 160 physician clinics, 16,000 employees, home health, hospice, mental health and safety-net services in Montana, Colorado and Kansas. The Catholic based hospital will retain it’s religious values after the merge, according to Lydia Jumonville, president and CEO of SCL Health.

“SCL Health and Intermountain are pursuing our merger from positions of strength,” Jumonville said. “We are two individually strong health systems that are seeking to increase care quality, accessibility and affordability. We will advance our missions and better serve the entire region together.”

Intermountain Healthcare operates 25 hospitals, has 42,000 employees and 225 medical clinics.

Both organizations will retain their nonprofit status, Harrison said. The merged company will be headquartered in Salt Lake City, with a regional office in Broomfield, Colorado. Harrison will serve as president and CEO of the organization. SCL Health will also slowly transition into changing its name to Intermountain Healthcare while retaining the names of their Catholic clinics.

“Intermountain has an incredible brand, not just regionally, but nationally,” Jumonville said. “We view it as a wonderful opportunity to change to a brand that is widely recognized.”

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