Southeastern Med and OhioHealth Announce Partnership

Guernsey Health Systems, Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center (SEORMC) and leadership from OhioHealth are announcing that they have finalized the details of an exclusive strategic partnership, that took effect on January 1, 2017, which will benefit the residents of Guernsey and Noble counties.

Southeastern Med and OhioHealth are independent, not-for-profit healthcare organizations that share a desire to increase the quality, efficiency, range and scope of health services provided to the residents of Guernsey County and surrounding communities. Our mutual vision is to increase the number of primary and secondary services that are provided locally.

“Today’s announcement marks the close of an effort that started in October of 2015 by the Board’s Strategic Planning Council,” said Shon Gress, board chair.

“The Strategic Planning Council – composed of members of the Board, medical staff and senior leadership – worked collaboratively to identify solutions to strengthen Southeastern Med for the long-term," added Gress. "Through research, education and diligence, Southeastern Med has determined that it can better provide for the health and welfare of the people within our community by enhancing the availability, efficiency and economy of its hospital facilities and services rendered through an affiliation with OhioHealth. This is the beginning of what we know will be a successful partnership between two respected, independent healthcare organizations in Ohio.”

“We couldn’t be happier about this new partnership,” said Mike Louge, executive vice president and chief operating officer of OhioHealth. “In the midst of all the change we are going through in healthcare, this partnership positions each organization for a strong future. Working together, we can utilize the best of both systems to enhance quality, improve efficiency and most importantly, keep more care local to this community. Our partnership will position both of us to better serve our communities in this new era of healthcare.”

Southeastern Med and OhioHealth’s partnership will directly benefit patients and the community by:

• Expanding specialty services in cardiology, cancer, orthopedics and neurosciences
• Increasing access to and recruitment and retention of talent
• Improving SEORMC’s financial performance and long-term sustainability and stability
• Further enhancing quality of care, patient safety, patient satisfaction and clinical effectiveness
• Ensuring that SEORMC has the opportunity to participate in new models of integrated care delivery
• Building upon SEORMC’s 64 year legacy of service to Guernsey and surrounding counties

At its core, the partnership will provide long-term stability for Southeastern Med and expanded specialty medical services to the community.

Southeastern Med and OhioHealth have already been working together successfully training dialysis nurses, recruiting physicians and bringing remote genetic consulting services to the cancer center.

“Today’s healthcare industry is under tremendous change and transition," said Ray Chorey, president and CEO of Southeastern Med. "While we value our independence and local control, we realize there is no business case to go it alone. We’ve found a partner in OhioHealth who shares our culture, our mission and our values, but will allow us to remain independent. We’ll be able to continue to grow and expand the clinical services that our community wants to have close to home. The affiliation with OhioHealth will bring stability and financial strength to Southeastern Med for years to come.”

About Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center

Since 1952, Southeastern Med has offered high-quality health care services to our community. The organization has continuously reinvested to improve its facilities and technology. Southeastern Med is more than just a community hospital – it’s a local healthcare destination. For more information about Southeastern Med, visit www.seormc.org or www.facebook.com/seormc.

About OhioHealth

OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization. Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth has been recognized as one of the top five large health systems in America by Truven Health Analytics, an honor it has received six times. It is also recognized by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the past 10 years.

Serving its communities since 1891, OhioHealth is a family of 28,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 11 hospitals, 50+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Shelby Hospital and OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital. For more information, please visit www.OhioHealth.com.