Green and blue coming together is an unusual site in Michigan. But, that's what's happening in Jackson as Allegiance Health Hospital becomes The Henry Ford Allegiance Health Hospital.
"As we're focused on developing a statewide network, Allegiance is our first partner to join us to deliver more care in broader communities," explained Henry Ford Health System's President, Wright Lassiter.
And, being a part of a larger health system will help open several doors for Allegiance.
Allegiance Health's CEO, Georgia Fojtasek, explained, "Our goal is to leverage one another's resources to learn to be more cost effective, more efficient and have our consumers and employers be able to benefit from that."
One of the first projects of this new partnership will be switching to electronic health records at Allegiance. A process Henry Ford knows well because the system is already in place at its other hospitals.
"It provides all of our clinicians, regardless of the side of care - in the hospital, outside the hospital - with access. The really great thing also is that access for patients themselves because we need patients to be partners in managing their health," Fojtasek said.
The merger will also provide the several thousand patients the Hospital serves each year with access to more resources.
"We'll be able to tap into some of the clinical expertise, including telemedicine that Henry Ford Health System offers. They have a huge residency program," Fojtasek explained. "And, we've already seen an enhanced ability to recruit, just since announcing the letter of intent."
Plus, the financial boost of $300 million to Allegiance will help the hospital expand, growing ambulatory sites and increasing the number of beds.
"Being part of something bigger, that is good bigger, is really going to benefit the people that we serve and the people who serve them," Fojtasek said.
Henry Ford Health System also told Fox 47 News the merger is not complete.
It'll take a little more time for the integration teams to finalize the merging of the HR, Finance and Purchasing Systems.
The switch to electronic health records is expected to be complete in the next 18 months.
