Healthcare leaders intend to formalize agreement to join forces
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO (March 15, 2018) – Mercy Health - Youngstown – the Mahoning Valley’s largest healthcare provider – and Prima Health Care – the region’s largest independent physician practice – have announced plans to come together.
The organizations have signed a letter of intent to bring Prima Health Care and its providers and staff into Mercy Health - Youngstown. The move will optimize coordination of care, enhance communication and enrich the patient experience across all Mercy Health and Prima points of care.
Prima Health Care is a known and recognized practice in the region, caring for the community through 30 primary care and seven specialty physicians and advanced-practice providers. Mercy Health and Prima have long had a positive and valuable working relationship with a singular focus: improving the health status of the Mahoning Valley. Prima’s strong focus on primary care will enhance the Mercy Health - Youngstown physician network, which is already the largest in the Mahoning Valley. This will lead to additional options for patients’ primary care relationships, which serve as an important pathway to wellness.
Donald Kline, chief executive officer of Mercy Health - Youngstown, said coming together with Prima will strengthen care across the region.
“This is an exciting milestone not only for Mercy Health and Prima, but for the communities we mutually serve,” Kline said. “We’re confident that our shared commitment to caring for our communities will enable us to come together to offer the highest-quality healthcare and the most extensive provider options to the Mahoning Valley.”
Prima Health Care currently cares for patients in southern Mahoning and Columbiana counties through offices in Boardman, Columbiana and Salem. Steven DeMaiolo, D.O., chief executive officer of Prima, said the affiliation with Mercy Health will enable its providers to make an even bigger impact in the Valley.
“Dedicated, compassionate providers are essential to improving the health status of our communities,” Dr. DeMaiolo said. “Becoming a part of Mercy Health will give our providers – and our patients – access to a full continuum of care and more significant health resources, including highly specialized acute care and advanced technologies.”
The agreement between Mercy Health - Youngstown and Prima Health Care is expected to be finalized in the third quarter 2018. In the coming months, the organizations will work to conduct transition planning and complete the credentialing process for Prima providers.
The organizations have signed a letter of intent to bring Prima Health Care and its providers and staff into Mercy Health - Youngstown. The move will optimize coordination of care, enhance communication and enrich the patient experience across all Mercy Health and Prima points of care.
Prima Health Care is a known and recognized practice in the region, caring for the community through 30 primary care and seven specialty physicians and advanced-practice providers. Mercy Health and Prima have long had a positive and valuable working relationship with a singular focus: improving the health status of the Mahoning Valley. Prima’s strong focus on primary care will enhance the Mercy Health - Youngstown physician network, which is already the largest in the Mahoning Valley. This will lead to additional options for patients’ primary care relationships, which serve as an important pathway to wellness.
Donald Kline, chief executive officer of Mercy Health - Youngstown, said coming together with Prima will strengthen care across the region.
“This is an exciting milestone not only for Mercy Health and Prima, but for the communities we mutually serve,” Kline said. “We’re confident that our shared commitment to caring for our communities will enable us to come together to offer the highest-quality healthcare and the most extensive provider options to the Mahoning Valley.”
Prima Health Care currently cares for patients in southern Mahoning and Columbiana counties through offices in Boardman, Columbiana and Salem. Steven DeMaiolo, D.O., chief executive officer of Prima, said the affiliation with Mercy Health will enable its providers to make an even bigger impact in the Valley.
“Dedicated, compassionate providers are essential to improving the health status of our communities,” Dr. DeMaiolo said. “Becoming a part of Mercy Health will give our providers – and our patients – access to a full continuum of care and more significant health resources, including highly specialized acute care and advanced technologies.”
The agreement between Mercy Health - Youngstown and Prima Health Care is expected to be finalized in the third quarter 2018. In the coming months, the organizations will work to conduct transition planning and complete the credentialing process for Prima providers.