CONTINUING COVERAGE
McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital timeline of events
October 2012: Hospital announces it will pursue an affiliation with a larger health system
March 2013: McCullough-Hyde weighs decision of future independence
December 2013: Hospital announces plan to enter negotiations with Mercy Health
March 2014: Mercy and McCullough-Hyde issue joint statement they are ending exclusive discussions
Butler County’s remaining independent hospital is no longer in talks to affiliate with the Mercy Health network.
McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford and Mercy Health announced in December they were beginning discussions on a possible partnership.
Talks have since ended, the Journal-News confirmed Monday.
“Our desire for collaboration with a larger health system remains unchanged,” Richard Norman, board chairman of McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, said in a written statement.
Prior to announcing plans for a partnership of some kind with Mercy Health, the Oxford hospital had also been in discussions with Cincinnati hospital networks TriHealth, UC Health and The Christ Hospital. Norman said those talks will be re-opened.
In a joint statement from McCullough-Hyde and Mercy Health, officials said the two groups will continue their “decades-long association, including cardiology and orthopedic services.”
After several months of conversations to determine a mutually beneficial relationship, officials said the two agencies were “unable to come to a partnership that meets the needs of both parties, long-term.”
“Mercy Health and MHMH (McCullough-Hyde) leaders engaged in productive talks, but after reviewing multiple affiliation options, we acknowledge that we could not align on a set of common strategic priorities,” said Yousuf Ahmad, market president and chief executive officer of Mercy Health.
The Oxford hospital originally announced in late 2012 its plan to pursue an affiliation with a larger health system. Concerns were that given McCullough-Hyde’s size (45 inpatient beds, $62.1 million revenues in 2012), it would not have the resources alone to make the changes required under federal health care reform.
Last December, McCullough-Hyde hospital leaders said they wanted to maintain as much local control as possible.
“We are fortunate to be in a position of financial and clinical strength, and the MHMH Board will now take the appropriate time to re-look at how McCullough-Hyde will best achieve its goals and objectives,” Norman said.
Reached at home on Monday, Norman declined to provide further comment on why the affiliation talks ended. Mercy Health officials could not be reached for further comment Monday.
Sylvia Moore, assistant to the board of trustees at McCullough-Hyde, said the decision was made at the Thursday board meeting in Oxford.
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