Watertown Regional Medical Center Tapped to Join New Health System, ScionHealth
October 26, 2021
Hospital to be among several LifePoint Health hospitals to launch new company
Watertown, WI – (October 26, 2021) – Watertown Regional Medical Center today announced that it is among 18 LifePoint Health hospital campuses and associated sites of care selected to become part of a new national health system called ScionHealth.
Watertown Regional Medical Center is currently part of LifePoint Health, which announced earlier this year plans to acquire leading post-acute provider Kindred Healthcare. As part of that acquisition, the companies announced today that they intend to create ScionHealth, a new company that will be comprised of 61 long-term acute care hospitals from Kindred and 18 of LifePoint’s hospital campuses and associated sites of care – including Watertown Regional Medical Center.
As part of ScionHealth, Watertown Regional Medical Center will continue to have access to capital to invest in its facility and community, as well as resources and support to accelerate its ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare delivery and expand the services available in Watertown and the surrounding communities.
“The opportunity to join ScionHealth is exciting,” said Richard Keddington, Chief Executive Officer of Watertown Regional Medical Center. “As part of this new company, we will have access to more targeted resources and collaboration that will help us to serve our patients and communities in new ways and create new opportunities for our employees. We believe this transition will be a positive one for our employees, physicians and community.”
Watertown Regional Medical Center will remain a joint venture, with ScionHealth taking over the 80% stake from LifePoint Health and the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation keeping their 20% stake. The Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation will continue to provide a local voice and leadership by retaining 50% of the board seats in this joint venture.
“The Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation is excited for our new partnership with ScionHealth,” said Tina Crave, CEO of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. “We look forward to collaborating with them to find new ways to serve our patients and improve the health of our communities.”
Watertown Regional Medical Center’s local leadership will remain the same, and all employees will transition to ScionHealth once the transition is completed. Rob Jay, currently executive vice president of integrated operations at LifePoint, will serve as ScionHealth’s chief executive officer. The company will be headquartered in Louisville, Ky.
While very little change in day-to-day operations is anticipated, Watertown Regional Medical Center is committed to ensuring that its transition to the new company is seamless for patients, providers and employees. Patients will continue to receive the great care they’ve come to expect over the last 115 years from the providers they know and trust, and there will be no changes in any services – or in how patients or providers access care.
“I am excited at the prospect of welcoming Watertown Regional Medical Center to ScionHealth,” said Jay. “I look forward to working with its employees and physicians to explore new ways that we can improve the health of people across Watertown and the surrounding communities.”
Pending regulatory approval and satisfaction of customary closing conditions, LifePoint and Kindred expect the launch of ScionHealth to be completed by the end of the year.
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About Watertown Regional Medical Center
Watertown Regional Medical Center (WRMC) is a five-star CMS hospital that’s been providing the residents of Dodge and Jefferson counties with excellent healthcare for over 115 years. By placing patients’ needs first, WRMC’s services have grown to include Emergency and Urgent Care, Primary Care, Women’s Health, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Heart and Vascular, General Surgery, Neurology, Pulmonology, Ophthalmology, Mental & Behavioral Health and many other services. For more information and to see a complete list of the services offered, visit www.watertownregional.com.