News release from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Jordan Health Systems Inc. (JHSI) have signed a definitive agreement to bring Jordan Hospital into the BIDMC family, enhancing clinical services in 12 southeastern Massachusetts communities while allowing Jordan Hospital to retain local management and board governance.

Under the agreement, BIDMC will become the sole “corporate member” or parent corporation of Jordan Hospital Health Systems and Jordan Hospital, a relationship similar to the ones in place with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton.

“This is a powerful alliance for our region,” said Peter Holden, President and CEO of Jordan Hospital. “A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess is a world-renowned medical institution. They share our values and bring tremendous depth to everyone we serve in the Plymouth area and beyond.”

“We are pleased to welcome Jordan Hospital into our growing network of community hospitals and physician groups,” said Kevin Tabb, MD, President and CEO of BIDMC. “We look forward to working with Jordan to care for southeastern Massachusetts residents in a way that is fundamental to our long-standing philosophy to provide the right care in the right place at the right time.”

With formal approval by the boards of both organizations, BIDMC and JHSI have filed all appropriate state and federal regulatory documents, including filing with the state’s Public Health Council, which must approve the plan for BIDMC to become Jordan Hospital’s corporate parent.

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission also has authority under the state’s 2012 health care reform law to review the transaction and conduct a “cost and market impact review.”

Upon state and federal approval of the transaction, the institutions will become clinically aligned and integrated, in order to improve, expand and enhance care and services for residents on the South Shore and Cape Cod.

The hospitals will work immediately to increase the number of primary care physicians and specialists in the Plymouth area to enable patients to stay closer to home for treatment. If a higher level of complex care is required, BIDMC will provide treatment until a patient can return home.

The agreement also envisions coordination with medical professional development, including Harvard Medical School faculty appointments for Jordan Hospital physicians in certain departments; broad collaboration in health care quality initiatives and quality assurance processes; and the establishment of two-way access to electronic medical records of patients seen by both organizations to enhance the coordination of care.

Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at BIDMC, a physician group that includes world-renowned specialists, will provide certain specialty and sub?specialty services to Jordan Hospital patients in the community in areas yet to be determined.
Atrius Health – which named BIDMC its preferred tertiary hospital more than three years ago, and as its preferred community hospital for Harvard Vanguard sites in downtown Boston – continues to work with Jordan Hospital to expand hospital choices for their patients south of Boston.
The Jordan Hospital Board of Trustees will continue to exercise local control over the hospital operations. BIDMC will name three members to the Jordan Hospital board, while Jordan Hospital will have one representative on the BIDMC Board of Directors.

Under the new arrangement, Jordan Hospital will likely change its name pending results from an independent market research study.