Lakeland HealthCare completes merger with Watervliet hospital

Lakeland HealthCare and Community Hospital Watervliet have completed the work needed for the merger of the two hospitals.

Work to integrate the two health care providers began in June and officials jointly announced that work is now complete.

And from the business integration, the new Lakeland Community Hospital, Watervliet has emerged. Work is ongoing to upgrade facilities and services there. An expansion to the emergency department, converting patient rooms to private rooms, and enhancing the waiting areas are among the first changes patients will notice.

Lakeland Community Hospital, Watervliet also will immediately be added into the electronic health record implementation project already under way at Lakeland.

As part of the agreement, essentially all Community Hospital Watervliet associates will continue to serve patients there.

Local oversight will continue, as the Community Hospital Watervliet Board of Directors will remain in place as a subsidiary board.

Loren B. Hamel, MD, president and CEO of Lakeland HealthCare says Lakeland leadership looks forward to working with the Community Hospital Watervliet team and he praised their diligence and creativity in the collaboration from which a comprehensive business plan for the future was developed.

With the merger, Lakeland HealthCare now includes four hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, rehabilitation centers, long-term care residencies, home care services, and physician practices.

Lakeland will have almost 3,900 associates providing clinical and support services at locations throughout southwest Michigan, and partner with over 400 primary and specialty care physicians.

Lakeland HealthCare is a not-for-profit, community-owned health system.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Loren B. Hamel, Lakeland HealthCare