Investment coming to Holy Spirit Hospital through affiliation
Photo by Ben Allen/witf
Harrisburg Diocese Bishop Ronald Gainer says he’s very pleased to see a shared vision between Holy Spirit Hospital and Geisinger Health System.
(Camp Hill) — Cumberland County’s Holy Spirit Hospital is now affiliated with Geisinger Health System, just don’t call it a merger.
No money will change hands, but Holy Spirit’s Lori Moran says the affiliation will bring investment into the Camp Hill hospital.
Geisinger’s President Glenn Steele Junior says by improving operations, it could add up to fewer emergency room visits.
“Decreasing the need for re-hospitalizations over a period of time in patients who have a lot of chronic disease that can be better managed.”
There are limits to the medical practices Holy Spirit will follow.
As a Roman Catholic hospital, Chief Administrative Officer Sister Romaine Niemeyer says the affiliation won’t change the facility’s abortion policy.
“I really don’t think it is the best practice.”
Ever?
“Ever.”
The Geisinger-Holy Spirit affiliation is part of a growing trend.
Midstate health systems Penn State Hershey Medical Center, PinnacleHealth and Wellspan Health either have talked mergers or already combined with other hospitals.
Sister Romaine Niemeyer says talks with Geisinger started back in 2013, though.
“We were a step ahead really, of doing what we needed to do, because we recognized all the changes in health care, so we accomplished what we wanted to do in about a year and a half, very focused, and we are set for the future.”
The affiliation has no end date.
Geisinger is expected to invest in upgrades at Holy Spirit, but specifics aren’t public yet.
The health system will use data to better coordinate care, and hopes that leads to a reduction in those who have to be admitted to the hospital.
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