Jennie Stuart Health officials declined an invitation to come to Thursday’s Hopkinsville Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the upcoming partnership with Deaconess Health, instead they issued a letter concerning the merger.
Committee of the Whole Chair, Steve Keel shared that Jennie Stuart Health CEO, Eric Lee and Board of Trustees Chair, Leslie Carroll were invited to the meeting to share any information they could regarding Jennie Stuart’s merger with Deaconess. In the invitation, Keel says the committee acknowledged that hospital officials were bound by nondisclosure agreements but at least wanted to hear what they were permitted to share.
Instead of attending the meeting, Carroll issued a letter which is available at hopkinsvilleky.us.
In the letter, Carroll invites the community to an upcoming open meeting where the board will discuss how the merger will help them accelerate their mission of providing exceptional healthcare.
Carroll also wrote that the merger is a proactive step toward strengthening the hospital and ensuring that it will remain for the next 100 years. Carroll shares that Deaconess is a like-minded non-profit healthcare system that understands the importance of quality local healthcare. The merger will focus on enhancing the quality of care while creating a supportive and engaging environment for hospital employees. Â
In late September, Jennie Stuart announced that they signed a letter of intent to align with Deaconess and shared that both healthcare systems began to evaluate each other to finalize details for an agreement that would join the two.
The evaluation process is set to be complete by the end of 2024.