Spectrum and Beaumont sign formal integration agreement

By

Patrick Jones

|

Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health System, two of Michigan’s largest health systems, have signed a formal integration agreement on Thursday marking the beginning of the integration process. The new health system’s vision is to “provide more accessible, affordable, equitable and exceptional health care and coverage for people across the state.”

 

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In June 2021, the two health systems signed a letter of intent (LOI) to join together to create a new health system, which began the process of state and federal regulatory review. The organizations hope to launch the system after the review process under the temporary name BHSH System in the fall. 

Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Spectrum Health and future BHSH System president and CEO, says:

“We have worked together to develop a deeper understanding of each organization. I greatly appreciate the efforts of our teams, and I remain confident that together we will create an optimal health system For Michigan, By Michigan™.”

Beaumont Health has eight hospitals with more than 33,000 employees. It is Michigan’s largest health care system mainly serving Southeast Michigan. Spectrum Health has 14 hospitals with more than 31,000 employees. Together, they will have 22 hospitals and 305 outpatient locations across the state with over 5,000 beds and 15,000 nurses. 

BHSH System outlined 5 goals to incorporate into the integration:

  • Improving health and health equity: Providing exceptional, equitable care and service to all patients and health plan members will always be at the center of the new system’s work.
  • Enhancing the consumer experience: Making the experience easier for patients and members will include investing in new digital technologies and providing services in more convenient ways such as virtual and in-home care.
  • Improving health care quality, value and outcomes: Creating a new health system, which includes Priority Health, will allow for the development of and investment in innovative solutions that improve health care and coverage for all Michiganders.
  • Making health care more affordable for the communities it serves: Bringing together the strengths of Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health will improve efficiency and deliver affordable, high-quality care and coverage across the state.
  • Ensuring the voices of team members and physicians are heard: Gathering the input of physicians, nurses and other team members who are closest to patients will be critical to realizing the mission and vision of the new organization. The new organization will also foster a culture that attracts and retains top health professionals to live and work in Michigan.

Spectrum Health board chair Robert Roth says:

“With our progress towards an integration, I remain confident our new health system will not only allow us to more effectively meet our obligations to our local communities but will drive further excellence in care and coverage while improving both affordability and access for the communities we serve across the state.”

Initial areas of focus for the new health system include creating a more affordable digital experience and delivering better health outcomes through value-based care. 

For their digital experience, they plan to invest more into a digital engagement platform, applications, and personalized capabilities to create a simpler patient experience. 

In their move towards a value-based care model, they plan to include predictive analytics to support clinical decisions for patients. BHSH says the value-based care model will also allow them to accelerate implementation of new evidence-based care research and develop “innovative models” of coverage and care.