St. Luke’s Looking At More Mergers

With the merger of St. Luke’s Magic Valley and St. Benedicts Family Medical Center in Jerome now finalized, there may be more similar mergers in the future. 

St. Luke’s Health System CEO David Pate says his organization has received inquiries from other health care facilities in the state asking about a possible merger.  Pate says with the current federal health care legislation the best way to save money is to merge.  The merger of St. Luke’s Magic Valley and St. Bens in Jerome could be the beginning of a trend.  Officials say the merger has gone very smoothly.  The most obvious evidence of the merger so far is a new sign at the Jerome facility saying St. Luke’s Jerome and the new badges worn by the staff.  St. Luke’s Magic Valley administrator Jim Angle will also be the administrator of the Jerome.  Angle says there are no layoff’s planned for any of the staff in the near future.  Officials are saying that after a smooth transition it’s been pretty much business as usual.