This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.
Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women
The two hospital systems predominately serve Mississippi and other Southeastern areas.
Baptist Memorial Health Care, Mississippi’s fourth largest employer, is set to merge with Anderson Regional Health Systems. Baptist is headquartered in Memphis while Anderson is located in Meridian.
The merger of the two health systems will officially take place in January 2024, according to a release by Anderson Regional.
“We are excited to join forces with ARHS to extend our faith-based mission to this part of Mississippi,” said Jason Little, President and CEO of Baptist Memorial Health Care. “Both organizations are proud of the exceptional care we provide. ARHS has a proven track record of success in this region, and we’re very experienced in delivering care in all types of Mississippi communities. Together, we have more than two centuries of combined health care experience, and we want to use this knowledge and expertise to bring a new level of care to this community.”
Baptist Memorial operates 22 hospitals throughout Mississippi, Tennessee, and East Arkansas. It was established in 1912 as a 150-bed hospital with the intent of keeping with a three-fold ministry of Christ – Healing, Preaching and Teaching. Baptist Memorial’s current headquarters is in Memphis.
“As part of our strategic plan to strengthen the mission of ARHS, a partnership with a larger health system provides a number of benefits for patients, physicians and employees,” said John G. Anderson, president and CEO of Anderson Regional Health System. “The combination of these two faith-based systems supports a shared vision to enhance the delivery of clinical services. By joining Baptist Memorial, ARHS will be stronger and more equipped to meet the needs of our patients for many years to come.”
Both hospitals operate as not-for-profit entities with a history of faith based, community health care.
Anderson Regional was founded by Dr. William Jefferson Anderson in 1928 and serves the people of East Central Mississippi and West Central Alabama. In the years that followed, it grew to not one but two hospitals, a regional cancer center and a network of clinics. It is expected that after the merge, Anderson will continue operations with local leadership and patients.
Baptist currently employs nearly 20,000 people. The health system contributed $455 million in community benefit for fiscal year 2022 and is estimated to have an annual economic impact of over $2.6 billion.
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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