Civista Health System will formally affiliate with the University of Maryland Medical System, the system announced, likely consolidating the hospital market in the southern-central portion of the Old Line State.
The affiliation will begin on July 1, and could be an exemplar for other smaller hospital systems to seek out larger, healthier partners.
UMMS has been managing Civista's facilities--which includes 130-bed Civista Medical Center in La Plata--since 2009. That pact included an option for the two systems to affiliate.
Civista had lost money for several years prior to the management agreement, but has posted positive operating margins over the past three years. Its chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief medical officer are all UMMS employees.
"UMMS possesses the resources and scale to help us fulfill our mission to provide the finest in healthcare services to Charles County and all the citizens of southern Maryland," Civista Chair Sara Middleton said in a statement.
The Civista board will nominate a single member to serve on the UMMS boards, although both systems will retain autonomous boards and foundations.
For more:
- here's the Civista Health announcement
- read the Baltimore Business Journal article