Schuylkill Health System and Lehigh Valley Health Network on Thursday formally announced their merger.

The move will provide "better access to expanded healthcare services, more advanced technology and more medical specialists available to the residents of Schuylkill County," LVNH said.

The merger is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Schuylkill Health System, which is the county's largest employer with 1,300 workers, was established in August of 2008 when the former Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and The Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic merged.

The two buildings continue to operate as Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street (the former Pottsville Hospital) and Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street (the former Good Samaritan Hospital).

Deciding to merge

SHS on November 2014 began pursuing a merger with a larger healthcare system, said SHS president Marc H. Lory.

"Initially, seven organizations were identified as potential partners," he said.

We relied on our boards and created a special physician advisory group to review and give input on all of the possibilities," Lory said.

"We are very excited about the future," said SHS board chairman Anthony Baran. "This agreement will shape health care delivery right here in our community for generations to come. It is something our community not only expects but deserves. Merging our two organizations will mean that Schuylkill County residents will have better local access to specialized services and physicians, sophisticated technology and the highest-quality clinical care in the region."

Building on a strong foundation

LVHN president and chief executive officer Brian Nester said the two entities already work together care for patients suffering from burns and stroke through the use of telemedicine and other patients who require a higher level of specialized care.

The merger will build on that foundation, he said.

"The nature of health care delivery is changing and many organizations are finding that coming together in an integrated system creates the most efficient, quality enhancing and accessible environment in which to meet the needs of the patient," Nester said. "We look forward to developing with Schuylkill Health, a model for delivering health care in this region that meets the community's needs close to home and, when possible, keeps people healthy and out of the hospital."

Plans to expand

Nester said LVHN is "committed to increasing the number of physicians in the community, including primary care and specialists, as well as maintaining many services that SHS already offers and further developing some of those services." These include maintaining services such as emergency rooms, obstetrics, surgery, behavioral health and expanding specialty services such as cardiology and orthopedics.

"LVHN also plans to invest in building the medical staff at SHS and implementing an electronic medical record that integrates with the LVHN network," Nester said.

It's the third such partnership for LVHN, said spokesman Brian Downs.

"We merged with Hazleton in Jan. 2014. We announced an agreement to merge with Pocono Health System last year. That is awaiting regulatory approval. Those are the only merger announcements we've made," Downs said.

Moving forward

Unionized employees at Schuylkill Medical Center South are cautiously optimistic about the merger.

About 250 union workers at SMC South, in service, technology, and licensed practical nursing, said Karen Gownley of SEIU.

The union is currently working under the terms of a contract that expired in June.

Talks are stalled right now, said SEIU chapter president Brian Symons.

He hopes the partnership bodes well for the union's future.

"We're looking forward to sitting with Lehigh Valley (Health Network) to discuss the way the hospital will move forward," Symons said. "We both have the same goal: to provide the best care for our patients and the community."

The contract may be one of the subjects up for discussion at a "town hall" type public meeting scheduled by SEIU for 6:30 p.m. May 4 at the Ramada Inn, Pottsville.

Others include what services the hospital will continue to offer.

"We have concerns about what kind of services are going to be at SMC. That's why were gong to going to have the town hall meeting," Symons said.

"We're hoping Lehigh Valley Health Network will talk with us about the future of our health system," he said.

Despite the concerns, Symons said the partnership is a good move.

"We're all excited about. It looks like it will be good for our community, it's something our community needs. Hopefully it will be a good partnership," he said.

"It's something SMC needed to move forward, and to make a better hospital and healthcare system for our community," Symons said.

"I would say it's good for everyone involved, for the community and for everyone who works at the hospital. We both have the same goal - to provide the best care for our patients and the community."