Holy Spirit Health System and its 2,600 employees will officially become part of Penn State Health on Sunday.
Penn State Health hasn’t revealed financial terms of acquiring Holy Spirit from Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health, which has owned it since 2014.
Penn State Health and Geisinger had been awaiting government approval for the transaction. The Federal Trade Commission and the Pennsylvania Attorney General, which typically work together to review or challenge such transaction have made no move to block it, according to Penn State Health spokesman Scott Gilbert.
Gilbert said Penn State Health plans to release more details about the transaction on Friday.
The agreement transferring ownership of Holy Spirit to Penn State Health was executed Thursday and takes effect Sunday, according to an email to Penn State Health employees from CEO Steve Massini.
“I want to thank the many individuals and teams who are shepherding this historic transition and preparing for Holy Spirit’s 2,600-member workforce to join Penn State Health. Your efforts are vital to strengthening health care choice in the greater Harrisburg region and preserving continuity of care for Holy Spirit patients. I am so proud of all of your efforts and what you have been able to accomplish,” Massini wrote.
Penn State Health has promised not to change Holy Spirit’s Catholic mission, and has said it has no short-term plans for major changes within Holy Spirit, which is centered in East Pennsboro Township in Cumberland County.
Rather, Penn State Health officials have said Holy Spirit, with its 310-bed hospital and network of medical offices across the region, fits well with Penn State Health’s plans to expand in Cumberland County.
“We are especially pleased to ensure that Holy Spirit physicians and staff will continue to care for patients who have long counted on Holy Spirit to meet their health care needs,” a statement from Penn State Health said.
Penn State Health have said Holy Spirit assets including its doctors group and ambulance company will help Penn State Health launch the hospital it plans to open next year in Hampden Township in Cumberland County.
Penn State Health officials have described plans to “deploy a dual hospital strategy in Cumberland County with a complement of services at each site.”
Holy Spirit lost patient volume and revenue following the opening of UPMC Pinnacle’s West Shore Hospital just a few miles away. Although Geisinger spent $120 million on upgrades at Holy Spirit, it didn’t thrive to the extent Geisinger had hoped.
Officials of Penn State Health, the parent of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, believe having local management will be a boost for Holy Spirit, which opened in the early 1960s near the edge of Camp Hill.