Early this month, the nonprofit's board of directors announced it will study whether merging with another health care system would improve services.
President and CEO, Doug Cropper, says Genesis has a history of mergers. It started in 1994 with the consolidation of Mercy and Saint Luke's hospitals in Davenport, later adding hospitals in Silvis, DeWitt, Maquoketa, and Aledo.
He says it's just an exploration, not a done deal. The goal is improvement in the organization's mission, and to help it continue being a great place to work and practice medicine.
While Genesis Health System is in a position of strength and does not require a partner to secure its future, partnership may create opportunities to address market pressures, provide additional scale and increase local investment as the system continues to navigate a dynamic industry landscape.Doug Cropper, Pres. & CEO Genesis Health System
Genesis sent invitations to more than 30 potential partners, and proposals are due in February.
Cropper also says the Genesis board will form two advisory groups to help with the process.
The board would have started exploring partnerships a couple of years ago, but Cropper says COVID got in the way. Genesis plans to complete its study by next summer.
Please note, Genesis Health System supports WVIK as an underwriter.
