The board of directors at
Bell Hospital in Ishpeming announced in early March that the hospital would be acquired by LifePoint Hospitals--the same company which recently took over Marquette General Hospital as well.
The transaction isn't official yet; the hospital has signed a letter of intent for the purchase, which has to be approved by regulators.
Robert DellAngelo, chair of the Bell board, says the acquisition is the result of Bell's strategic process.
"The board engaged an independent advisor in October 2012 to manage a competitive process to help Bell find a strategic partner. We considered a variety of companies across the U.S. and ultimately chose LifePoint because it shared our commitment to Ishpeming and the Upper Peninsula," says DellAngelo.
Benefits local patients can expect to see include more financial, clinical and operational resources; improvements in care quality and recruitment and retention of physicians; and investment in state-of-the-art equipment and facility upgrades, according to the hospital.
On the financial end of things, the hospital says all Bell's outstanding financial obligations will be met and the locally-governed charitable foundation bearing the hospital's name will be fully funded.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Bell Hospital
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.