Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/576097
53 FINANCE Illinois Hospital to Close, Replaced With Outpatient Center By Ayla Ellison S pringfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System is discon- tinuing healthcare services at St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, Ill., and transferring ownership of the hospital and its related facilities to Peoria, Ill.- based OSF Healthcare System. OSF already has a physician office building in Streator and plans to initially use the former hospital building to pro- vide outpatient services. However, OSF has plans to build a new outpatient cen- ter in Streator, and it is uncertain what would happen to the St. Mary's building at that point. e health systems expect the tran- sition to begin in early 2016, but a firm date has not been set for St. Mary's clo- sure. St. Mary's President and CEO John Flanders said, "We believe having OSF provide robust, ambulatory healthcare services as part of a highly integrated delivery system that includes physicians practicing across this region makes the most sense for the future of healthcare in Streator." It is not yet known how many St. Mary's employees will become employ- ees of OSF. n 2 Georgia Systems Roll Out Massive Merger Plans: 5 Things to Know By Ayla Ellison T wo Georgia health systems — Northside Hospital and Gwinnett Medical Center — are exploring a merger to create a combined system that would have nearly 1,400 beds, more than 16,000 employees and nearly 3,500 physicians on staff. Here are five things to know about the deal: Sandy Springs, Ga.-based Northside Hospital healthcare system includes three acute care hospitals in Georgia and more than 150 care sites across the state. Lawrenceville, Ga.-based. 1 Gwinnett Medical Center healthcare network includes two acute care hospitals in the state. The two systems have approved a letter of intent to begin exclu- sive discussions to combine their operations. 2 The leaders of the two systems said that the merger is the best way to prepare for the future needs of patients and their families. 3 "Our service offerings complement each other," said Gwin- net Medical Center CEO Philip Wolfe. "Northside Hospital is a regional and national leader in women's health and cancer care, while Gwinnett Medical Center is a leader in cardiac care, trauma care and sports medicine. Going forward, our strategy will be to leverage our respective strengths in our expanded footprint and provide the total spectrum of healthcare to patients not only in our market area, but throughout Georgia and the Southeast." 4 The systems are targeting early 2016 as a potential closing date for the deal. n 5 53 FINANCE