Newswise — Lakeland, FL & Orlando, FL (October 2, 2017) – Lakeland Regional Health (LRH) and Orlando Health (OH) completed an affiliation to create an integrated regional health care system on October 1, 2017. This regional system better positions both organizations to advance clinical programs, improve access, and enhance the clinical quality of services provided.
“We are very excited to advance the future of health care for those we serve through our affiliation with Orlando Health. We see great promise in the opportunity for our exceptional doctors, nurses and team members to collaborate with our peers at Orlando Health,” said Elaine C. Thompson, PhD, FACHE, president and CEO of LRH. “Bringing together two health systems that share complementary people-centered, clinically advanced cultures will be an amazing catalyst to strengthen the health of our community.”
“This is an exciting time for Orlando Health and for the entire Central Florida community,” said David Strong, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “Having Lakeland Regional Health join Orlando Health will not only expand our network of hospitals, but will create a unified health care system with common objectives and fully aligned interests. We look forward to sharing knowledge and expertise to advance the quality, delivery, and access to health services across the region.”
The affiliation, effective October 1, 2017, was formed following a period of due diligence and the execution of a definitive agreement detailing the relationship between the two systems. LRH will continue to have a local Board of Directors made up of leaders living in the Lakeland community with the addition of one director representing Orlando Health. Two directors from the LRH Board will be appointed to Orlando Health’s Board of Directors. Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center will remain a City of Lakeland asset.
The position of LRH President and Chief Executive Officer will continue to be held by Elaine C. Thompson, PhD, FACHE, who now dually reports to the LRH Board of Directors and the CEO of Orlando Health. Dr. Thompson will continue to focus her efforts on providing strategic leadership of Lakeland Regional Health’s efforts to expand access to high quality health care for Lakeland and the surrounding communities. In addition, she will assume regional system responsibilities benefitting the Orlando Health system as a whole.
Other affiliations currently in place with both organizations will continue. Both Foundations will remain under the control of their respective health care systems, performing community specific philanthropic activities. Funds raised by each Foundation will be used exclusively to benefit and support the system’s projects and the communities served.
Orlando Health is a private, not-for-profit health care system that has been caring for the Central Florida community since 1918. Orlando Health consists of eight acute care hospitals (2,295 beds) and was recently granted a certificate of need to build a 9th hospital in the Horizon West community in west Orange County. The organization has more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, 500 employed physicians, and 18,000 employees. In addition, Orlando Health is a teaching hospital that trains over 250 physician residents in 7 different clinical programs and 17 fellowship programs.
LRH is a private, not-for-profit health care system that has been caring for its community since 1916. LRH consists of Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, which is Florida’s fifth largest hospital with 849 beds, including the 32-bed Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine, as well as the Hollis Cancer Center and other care locations providing outpatient healthcare services. LRH has over 500 physician members of its medical staff, employs 135 physicians, and has over 5,200 employees.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based $2.6 billion network of physician practices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. More than 2,000 physicians have privileges at Orlando Health, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with more than 18,000 employees who serve nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $204 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.
About Lakeland Regional Health
As a catalyst for community health, not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health is reaching beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Hollis Cancer Center and ambulatory care locations. LRH holds Most Wired status from American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 849-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates a Level II Trauma Center, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine and the nation’s busiest single site Emergency Department. For more information about Lakeland Regional Health, visit http://myLRH.org.
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