Crouse Health and SUNY Upstate Medical University jointly announced in April their intention to bring the two healthcare systems together to enhance care delivery to Central New Yorkers.
Under the proposed combination, Upstate Medical University will acquire the operations of Crouse Hospital, which will become part of the Upstate Medical University Health System.
The proposed combination will include all of Crouse Hospitals’ inpatient and outpatient services. Crouse Hospital will become part of Upstate University Hospital and the Crouse campus will be branded as Upstate Crouse Hospital. Crouse Medical Practice will remain intact and will be branded as Upstate Crouse Medical Practice.
Upstate and Crouse believe that the combined organization would generate new career opportunities in the region. No staff reductions are anticipated as a result of the transaction. It is anticipated that union employees at each hospital will continue to be represented by their current respective unions.
By coming together, Upstate and Crouse propose to create a coordinated, highly integrated system with the objective of improving quality of care, and increasing access to care for the communities they serve. The combination will create a system with more than 13,000 employees, 1,200 licensed inpatient hospital beds and offer more than 70 specialties.
It will markedly increase clinical training opportunities for tomorrow’s healthcare providers studying in the College of Medicine, College of Health Professions and two complementary Schools of Nursing.
“There has been a natural progression in our relationship over the years.
Between the two organizations, there are many clinical services that complement each other. Formalizing the relationship with Crouse—and making it a key component of our University Hospital system—would allow these services to flourish,” said physician Robert Corona, CEO of Upstate University Hospital.
“Our board has always focused on the best way to meet community health needs and this joining of two highly-regarded institutions committed to Central New York will help ensure the quality care our communities deserve,” said Patrick A. Mannion, Crouse Health board chairman. “Discussions between Crouse and Upstate have always revolved around creating the best environment possible for patients, medical professionals and dedicated staff. The board determined that integration with a local partner was the best option for Crouse, and given our history, Upstate was the preferred choice, one that the community will embrace.”
The cultures at the two institutions have evolved in recent years, becoming similar in many ways, said Kimberly Boynton, CEO of Crouse Health. “In fact, the two cultures are more aligned now than they have ever been. Both organizations believe in mutual trust, respect, strong leadership and a shared commitment to providing the best in patient care.”
“Our combined expertise will enable us to deliver high quality, seamless patient care for Central New York and preserve jobs as we continue to benefit the economic health of the region,” said physician Mantosh Dewan, president of Upstate. “Building upon our combined strengths will be a significant step in shaping the future growth of the region’s only academic medical center as we expand educational and training opportunities for the medical professionals of tomorrow. Moving forward, our exceptional medical staffs will continue to provide great value to our community as we work together to enhance patient care for our region.”
Both institutions are currently engaged in obtaining regulatory approvals, including a Certificate of Need from the New York State Department of Health, which is expected to take several months. During this time, the two institutions will remain independent and their respective focus will continue to be on patients, employees, medical staff, faculty and students.