University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has agreements to buy Sunbury Community Hospital and Lock Haven Hospital.
Sunbury Community Hospital, located in Northumberland County, has 70 beds. Lock Haven Hospital, located in Clinton County, has 47. The agreements were announced Wednesday morning by UPMC Susquehanna in Williamsport, which UPMC bought last year.
The acquisitions further UPMC's march eastward into the Harrisburg region and the north central part of the state.
Within the past year, UPMC has acquired Susquehanna Health and announced plans to join with Harrisburg-based PinnacleHealth System. Pending final government approval, the combined UPMC-Pinnacle would also include an additional four community hospitals in Lancaster, York and Cumberland counties.
No financial terms were immediately announced.
A news release said in part:
Steven Davis, CEO of Lock Haven Hospital, says becoming part of UPMC Susquehanna will benefit the operations and financial stability of Lock Haven Hospital. "We are pleased to join the UPMC Susquehanna family," says Davis. "UPMC Susquehanna is well-known for providing patients with high-quality doctors, nurses and medical staff close to home. Joining this innovative team is a great win for our community."
Over the coming months, transition teams will work to develop plans to align operational systems in anticipation of the transaction closing by the fall. Both organizations expect no immediate operational service changes at the hospitals.
Sunbury Community Hospital CEO Bob Williams notes, "The employees of Sunbury Community Hospital are greatly looking forward to our new relationship with UPMC Susquehanna. This strong alliance allows us the ability to continue providing compassionate, patient-centered care built on the foundation of their excellent reputation for cutting-edge medicine with compassion and affordability."