Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health have taken another step toward merging after signing a formal integration agreement.
According to both health systems, this is the next step in the process to create the new health system, which was announced in June.
The plan is to launch the new health system, which is temporarily named BHSH System this fall after a regulatory review process.
“We have worked together to develop a deeper understanding of each organization. I greatly appreciate the efforts of our teams, and I remain confident that together we will create an optimal health system For Michigan, By Michigan™,” Spectrum President & CEO Tina Freese Decker said in a release.
Decker will also be the president of the combined health system. John Fox, who is currently the president & CEO of Beaumont, plans to leave the organization following the merger.
Spectrum has 14 hospitals throughout West Michigan and Beaumont has eight hospitals throughout metro Detroit.
In 2014, Beaumont merged with Oakwood Hospital and Botsford Hospital for $3.8 billion.
In all, there will be 22 hospitals, 305 outpatient locations and more than 64,000 team members in the merged company. There will be two headquarters – one in Grand Rapids and one in Southfield.
