The Mercy Health Network based in Des Moines now owns three hospitals in northeast Iowa that were part of the Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare network.
Mercy senior vice president, Joe LeValley says the deal was finalized Sunday for the Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo; Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar Falls; and Mercy Hospital in Oelwein. “The transaction was completed and the closing occurred yesterday on May 1st. So, we are now partners and very excited about that,” LeValley says.
LeValley says adding the northeast Iowa facilities fills in an open spot in their network. “We’ve been Iowa’s largest network for years and have had coverage from Sioux City to Dubuque. And from Mason City to Centerville — but Waterloo has been a gap in that geographic coverage for a long time,” he says. LeValley says filling that gap allows them to expand their services.
“Having coverage in Iowa’s key markets is a very important factor,” LeValley says. “Whether it’s a governmental payment program, or a private insurance program or whether it’s a large employer who has multiple locations across the state, they all look for health systems that can provide consistent coverages and consistent services across the geographies.”
LeValley says they don’t plan any changes in the workforce at the Wheaton facilities, and he says patients won’t notice any immediate change.
“In the short term the patients and the communities will see very little difference,” according toe LeValley. “Mercy Health Network has very high regard for the staff and leadership at Wheaton Iowa. And one of the reasons we are excited to have them join our network is that’s a very well-run organizations.”
With the addition of the Wheaton facilities, Mercy Health Network now owns 15 hospitals and medical centers, 26 community hospitals affiliated through contracts, and 207 physician clinics.