Bishop supports possible sale to Denver health system

Published: September 26, 2013

Dwain Hebda

Mercy Hospital Hot Springs was known as St. Joseph Mercy Medical Center before Mercy Health System renamed its hospitals in April 2012.

Dwain Hebda

Mercy Hospital Hot Springs was known as St. Joseph Mercy Medical Center before Mercy Health System renamed its hospitals in April 2012.

The Diocese of Little Rock is pleased that Mercy Hospital Hot Springs has a renewed chance to remain a Catholic hospital.

On Sept. 24, Mercy Health System in St. Louis and Catholic Health Initiatives, based outside Denver, announced they are discussing signing a “letter of intent.”

“The agreement would consider a possible transfer of sponsorship of Mercy Hot Springs hospital and physician clinic to CHI and its affiliate, St. Vincent Health System. We will be happy to provide additional information when it becomes available,” the statement said.

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor was among the opponents of the possible sale of Mercy Hospital Hot Springs to Capella Healthcare, a for-profit system based in Tennessee, and Mercy Health System was unable to obtain support from the Vatican or the Federal Trade Commission. When negotiations were cancelled June 27, Mercy Health System vowed to investigate finding another buyer or deciding how it could remain a Mercy hospital.

Capella Healthcare operates National Park Medical Center, also in Hot Springs.

Mercy Health System worked with Bishop Taylor this summer to study its options.

In a statement issued Sept. 26, Bishop Taylor said, “This week’s announcement that Mercy Health and Catholic Health Initiatives are in discussion toward a letter of intent is welcome news. While it is early in the exploration process, I am glad that Mercy Health is investigating the possibility of selling (the former) St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and the physician clinic in Hot Springs to Catholic Health Initiatives and its affiliate, St. Vincent Health System.

“I am hopeful that the outcome of this effort between the two Catholic health care ministries will yield a positive result for the people of Hot Springs and its surrounding communities. For over a century they have been blessed with a Catholic health care ministry that is concerned with the well-being of all, especially people who are poor. My prayer all along has been that a Catholic health care provider will remain an option in the Hot Springs area.”

CHI is the third-largest faith-based health system in the country. It operates 87 hospitals and other health care agencies in 18 states.

In Arkansas it owns St. Vincent Health System, which includes St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock, St. Vincent North and St. Vincent Rehabilitation Hospital, both in Sherwood, and St. Vincent Morrilton.