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Southfield, Michigan-based Beaumont Health and Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health have signed a Letter of Intent to develop a strategic partnership. The arrangement would strengthen both organizations’ cost-effective approaches to partnering with communities in new ways to improve quality of care and overall health. Juniper is advising Beaumont on this transaction.

The Letter of Intent signals the beginning of the process to draft definitive agreements to bring the two not-for-profit health systems together under Beaumont Health. The arrangement would allow for continued growth and expansion to serve patients better in Michigan and Ohio. Summa Health would maintain local leadership, including a local board.

“Beaumont Health and Summa Health are already strong and successful health care leaders. By welcoming Summa into the Beaumont family, both organizations will share expertise, invest in each other and continue to thrive as the industry evolves,” Beaumont Health CEO John Fox said. “As we expand into Ohio, we will continue to invest in our Michigan employees and operations. This year, we will launch 30 new urgent care centers.

The Huntingdon, PA-based J.C. Blair Health System has officially joined Penn Highlands Healthcare, effective June 1. J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital, a 71-bed, non-profit community hospital, is now known as Penn Highlands Huntingdon, making it the fifth hospital in the Penn Highlands Healthcare system. Juniper advised J.C. Blair on the transaction.

Juniper designed for J.C. Blair an effective and efficient process tailored for its complex circumstances that achieved the key partnership objectives set forth by the Board of Directors:
• Protect and expand high-quality acute care services and jobs in the community
• Preserve a meaningful local role in the hospital’s governance

Juniper specifically tailored the partnership process to address J.C. Blair’s unique ownership structure, given that a separate, large regional health system owned a minority interest in the hospital. The transaction included concurrent negotiations with the minority owner to ensure J.C. Blair’s full membership interest was conveyed to Penn Highlands Healthcare, meeting the needs of the hospital and all constituents involved in the transaction.

“This affiliation represents an exciting new chapter in our growth,” said Steven M. Fontaine, Chief Executive

Heritage Valley Health System, a two-hospital integrated delivery network in Western Pennsylvania, and Ohio Valley Hospital have completed a strategic business combination. By joining together, the organizations will further enhance their common mission of bringing cost-effective, high-quality care to their respective communities and best meet the health care needs of the region.

Heritage Valley Health System was unanimously chosen by Ohio Valley Hospital’s Board of Directors as its preferred partner following an eight-month long strategic planning process in which it considered a range of strategic options and partners. Juniper Advisory has served as Heritage Valley Health System’s exclusive advisor throughout this process, helping to develop and execute a proposal strategy and structure that was responsive to Ohio Valley Hospital’s stated objectives.

According to Ohio Valley Hospital’s announcement, the alignment with Heritage Valley Health System “will enable Ohio Valley Hospital to enhance its medical staff, expand clinical services and fund future capital projects”. Ohio Valley Hospital, like many independent community hospitals, has been challenged over past years by increasing operating costs and decreasing reimbursement.

Ohio Valley Hospital becomes the third hospital in the Heritage Valley Health System, joining Heritage Valley Sewickley and

The Indian River Medical Center (IRMC) in Vero Beach, Florida, will join the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic in a business combination expected to close by the end of 2018.

Engage with leaders from the Cleveland Clinic and Indian River County Hospital District in discussing the transaction at The Governance Institute’s 2019 Leadership Conferences in Naples, Florida on January 21 and in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 16.

The transaction between IRMC and the Cleveland Clinic is representative of both the growing wave of governmental and community hospitals exploring new ownership structures and large health systems pursuing bold growth strategies in attractive markets.

Dr. Wael Barsoum, CEO and President of the Cleveland Clinic Florida, Josette Beran, Chief Strategy Officer of the Cleveland Clinic and Marybeth Cunningham, Chair of the Indian River County Hospital District Board of Trustees will discuss the origin of their partnership, considerations unique to a government hospital transaction, and early results. The panel discussion will be moderated by Jamie Burgdorfer, Principal of Juniper Advisory, who served as the transaction advisor.

The Governance Institute is a trusted source of resources and solutions for hospital board members, executives and physician leaders. The Institute hosts annual conferences around

Temple University announced Monday it has retained the services of Juniper Advisory to pursue strategic options for Temple University Health System, which include the possible sale of Fox Chase Cancer Center, neighboring Jeanes Hospital or both.

The move comes about a month-and-a-half after Temple’s Board of Trustees announced it had authorized a series of steps aimed at strengthening the health system’s finances and “preserve its ability to serve its mission.” One of those steps was authorizing the engagement of a financial advisor.

Juniper is an independent and privately-held investment banking firm, based in Chicago, that specializes in hospital merger and acquisition and other strategic affiliation consulting. The firm served as advisor to Aria Health, the operator of three hospitals in Northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County, for its dealing that led to the health system joining Jefferson Health.

Click here for the full article from August 6, 2018. 

Members of the Indian River Medical Center (IRMC) Board of Directors and the Indian River County Hospital District (IRCHD) have selected Cleveland Clinic as their partner to fuel future growth and the continued delivery of quality healthcare services by IRMC. This decision was reached after a partnership process that involved careful consideration by both the Hospital Board and the District Trustees. With Cleveland Clinic, IRMC will continue a long history of patient-first healthcare delivery to Indian River County and surrounding areas.

Cleveland Clinic and Community Benefit
Juniper Advisory is acting as IRMC’s financial advisor during this strategic partnership process. IRMC’s ability to attract interest in a business combination from four exceptional hospital companies is a significant accomplishment for the hospital and its local communities. In particular, the selection of Cleveland Clinic by a mid-sized hospital in Florida represents the first partnership of its kind between such a highly-ranked, internationally known health system and a hospital.

The Local Government’s Role
Like many hospitals across the United States, IRMC is a community-sponsored hospital company that leases property and buildings from a local governmental entity — in this case, a health district. This is