The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved.
By Eric Starkman
Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health has announced it is moving forward with its takeover of Southfield-based Beaumont Health. The combined operations, which will be temporarily known as BHSH System, will launch Tuesday.
CEO John Fox, whose leadership was responsible for Beaumont’s precipitous decline from one of the top regional hospitals in the country, will depart Friday.
Nancy Susick, the president of Beaumont Royal Oak and under whose leadership Beaumont flagship hospital declined, will serve as interim president of the system.
The deal creates a 22-hospital system with 64,000 employees, making it Michigan's largest employer.
A press release says both organizations gave regulatory agencies all requested information to launch their new health system.
Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids is Spectrum's flagship.
“As we launch our new health system, we have a bold goal to transform health and are thrilled to unite our two great organizations,"Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Spectrum Health, says in the statement. Together, we will leverage our complementary strengths to innovate and make a positive impact for our communities and their health."
They unite eight months after signing a letter of intent to merge and five months after a formal agreement.
Deadline Detroit reported last week that the announcement of the takeover was likely to come Tuesday.
More to come
(Graphic: BHSH System)
