It's Official: Edward, Elmhurst Memorial Merger Complete

Edward Hospital and Health Services and Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare announced the merger of the two health systems is final, effective today, Monday, July 1.

“This is an historic day for residents of our communities because it brings together and strengthens important community-focused institutions with long histories of serving the western and southwestern suburbs,” CEO Pam Davis said in a prepared statement.  “While Elmhurst Memorial and Edward are already nationally recognized for quality and patient satisfaction, our collaboration will lead to even higher quality, and improved services and efficiencies for our patients as we meet the challenges of healthcare reform.”

The focus will be on three system priorities, according the announcement:

• to improve quality and coordination of care throughout the region as physicians, nurses and other clinical staff share best practices and clinical protocols, and closely measure and report results.
• to become more efficient through process improvement and economies of scale in order to deliver more convenience for patients, stem the tide of rising healthcare costs and stay viable even as reimbursement to hospitals and physicians is reduced.
• to provide patients access to a larger network of independent and affiliated physicians and services.

The merger will build upon the success of Illinois Health Partners, a partnership with DuPage Medical Group and many independent physicians, to jointly manage the care of more than 100,000 HMO patients in the region.  DuPage Medical Group has more than 400 physicians, including a strong presence in the communities also served by Elmhurst Memorial and Edward.

The following 13 members make up the system’s board of trustees:

• Ron Schubel, chairman, of Naperville, retired, Molex Incorporated
• David Atchison, vice chairman, of Oak Brook, president and CEO, Ponder and Co.
• Joseph Beatty, trustee, of Evanston, former president and CEO, Telular Corp.
• David Brueggen, trustee, of Elmhurst, retired, Anson Industries
• Pam Davis, trustee, of Naperville, System CEO
• Joe DePaulo, trustee, of Naperville, president, Clow Airport
• Brian Hagan, trustee, of Elmhurst, executive vice president, First American Bank, Elk Grove Village
• Thomas Kloet, trustee, of Elmhurst and Toronto, CEO, TMX Group
• Mary Kay Ladone, trustee, of Lisle, vice president investor relations, Baxter International
• Rocco Martino, trustee, of Burr Ridge, partner, LaSalle Capital Group
• Ronald Nyberg, trustee, of Naperville, partner, Nyberg and Cassioppi
• Robert Platt, trustee, of Elmhurst, CEO, Mostardi Platt
• Timothy Rivelli, trustee, of Hinsdale, partner, Winston and Strawn

The merger creates an integrated health system comprised of three hospitals—Edward, Elmhurst Memorial and Linden Oaks at Edward—with revenues of about $1 billion and more than 50 outpatient locations across a service area of 1.7 million residents.  The system employs nearly 7,700 and has more than 1,680 physicians on staff.  System naming/branding will be determined in the coming months.