O'Bleness Health System announced Tuesday that it will enter into a new management agreement with a larger Columbus-based system in order to improve health care in southeastern Ohio.
Beginning Aug. 1, OhioHealth, which includes Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, will set up four high-ranking leadership positions to manage O'Bleness including: chief executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president of medical affairs and director of logistics. OhioHealth representatives also will be a part of the O'Bleness board of directors, according to a joint news release.
O'Bleness has been an affiliate of OhioHealth for 10 years, said Mike Bernstein, chief strategy officer for OhioHealth.
Bernstein said changes in the health care environment allowed the two systems to explore a stronger relationship. He added that the management agreement was the best possible choice.
(The changes) created an opportunity for OhioHealth and O'Bleness to work together because it has become particularly difficult to operate as a stand alone
especially in rural areas he said.
The agreement will focus on expanding programs and services, improving medical outcomes, recruiting physicians and improving relations with Doctors Hospital in Nelsonville, an OhioHealth facility, according to the release.
Despite the agreement, O'Bleness will remain an independent system governed by a local board of trustees.
O'Bleness, the cornerstone of which is O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, 55 Hospital Drive, is affiliated with medical offices throughout southeastern Ohio.
The OhioHealth family has 2,300 physicians, 18 hospitals, and 23 health and surgery centers in 40 Ohio counties, according to the release.
(The agreement) is focused on the future and what OhioHealth and O'Bleness can do together to ensure that (the system) is successful and meeting the needs of the community Bernstein said.
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Elizabeth Lundblad
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