WEST BRANCH ‘ West Branch Regional Medical Center (WBRMC) has joined MidMichigan Health, an affiliate of Michigan Medicine, the health care division of the University of Michigan. The partnership makes West Branch the seventh Medical Center in the MidMichigan Health system. To reflect the hospital joining MidMichigan, WBRMC has changed its name to MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch.
‘From the very beginning our board was impressed with the MidMichigan Health leadership team,’ said J. Daniel Stoneback, chair of the board, MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch. ‘We are confident they will help us go from good to great by increasing services, bringing new physicians to the region, and improving our quality of care. Becoming part of the MidMichigan Health family is a win-win for our Medical Center and the communities we serve.’
‘Today is an exciting day for MidMichigan Health and the patients and residents of northern Michigan as we welcome MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch to our family,’ said Diane Postler-Slattery, president and CEO, MidMichigan Health. ‘We look forward to continuing our work together to build upon West Branch’ outstanding tradition of providing excellent service to their patients by their expert staff and health care providers.’
The affiliation process for WBRMC began in 2011. Since that time, the Medical Center in West Branch went from a government-owned facility to a private nonprofit organization, completing that process on Dec. 31, 2015. Over the next two years, the board of trustees and management then evaluated partnership proposals, met with prospective health systems and visited facilities of the prospective partners. In making a selection, the board’ goals included long term viability of the Medical Center, a proven track record of investment in the community, improved access to resources, support for physician recruitment and retention, and continued quality improvement.
In September of 2017, the WBRMC Board of Trustees voted on the selection of MidMichigan Health as the preferred health system to proceed with partnership negotiations. An extensive due-diligence process was completed followed by the definitive agreement signed in February 2018.
‘This affiliation culminates years of hard work and determination by a lot of people,’ said Bob McGrail, president, MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch. ‘Everyone involved should be proud of how far we have come and how well we have done. And, we should all be looking to the future with optimism for continued success and growth as part of the MidMichigan Health system.’
MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch offers inpatient and outpatient health care services to a broad region, which includes 30 zip codes in Ogemaw, Oscoda, Roscommon, Arenac and Iosco counties. The Medical Center has three operating suites, a 24-hour emergency department and a state-of-the-art imaging department. In addition to the Medical Center, the system also includes Hospice of Helping Hands, the Tolfree Foundation, and Medical Arts Centers in Prudenville and West Branch. MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch has approximately 350 employees, 58 volunteers, 25 active staff physicians, as well as 12 associate staff physicians, 53 consulting staff physicians, 23 allied health professionals and 17 telemedicine physicians.
As a result of the affiliation, the MidMichigan Health Board of Directors will increase by one member from West Branch with the addition of Kevin Elliot. The MidMichigan Medical Center – West Branch board will increase by three members to include Postler-Slattery, McGrail, as well as Greg Rogers, senior vice president of MidMichigan Health and president of MidMichigan Medical Center – Midland.
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