Dive Brief:
- South Nassau Communities Hospital said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with Mount Sinai Health System to explore a formal affiliation aimed at improving care for Long Island and South Shore residents.
- The partnership would bring Mount Sinai’s clinical, academic and research capabilities to South Nassau patients and align services, management and governance between the two organizations.
- If approved, South Nassau would become Mount Sinai’s lead institution on Long Island and be part of it’s $8 billion healthcare system, which includes the Icahn School of Medicine, seven New York City area hospitals and a 7,000-physician network.
Dive Insight:
The potential deal is the latest in a wave of healthcare partnerships and affiliations, which offer teaching hospitals and other institutions the chance to spread their brands without bearing the cost of an actual acquisition. These deals also offer a solution to the financial challenges facing independent hospitals today.
In December, reports surfaced about a potential partnership between Wayne Healthcare, the last independent hospital in Ohio’s Miami Valley region, and six-hospital system Premier Health. Under the deal, Wayne would retain local control but cede some of its board representation to Premier Health.
Then in March, it was reported that UPMC was considering an affiliation with and an acquisition of the Harrisburg-based PinnacleHealth System. The two systems signed a letter ot intent to pursue the affiliation. If consummated, the affiliation would be UPMC’s first with an entire health system and help UPMC’s health insurance arm, UPMC Health Plan, penetrate the central Pennsylvania market.
The partnership with Mount Sinai would elevate the 455-bed South Nassau to the tertiary care level with staff and technology, officials said. As part of the agreement, Mount Sinai would help finance upgrades to the physical plant and clinical programs at the Oceanside, N.Y. hospital.