Saint Luke’s and BJC Health to Officially Integrate for The New Year

Posted November 29, 2023

Saint Luke’s Health System and BJC Health System will officially combine on Jan. 1, the health systems announced Wednesday. The merger will create a 28-hospital system that spans across Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.

Saint Luke’s will join BJC to operate as a single, integrated healthcare organization that serves two regions. The system will create two branches including BJC HealthCare in the St. Louis region and Saint Luke’s in the Kansas City region, according to a release.

The two systems announced their merger in May. The joined system evaluates to approximately $10 billion in revenue to serve Missouri as well as the southern Illinois and eastern Kansas regions.

BJC President and CEO Richard Liekweg and Saint Luke’s Health System CEO Melinda L. Estes, MD. Photo via: Saint Luke’s Health System

“We are pleased to reach this important milestone in our journey to unite Saint Luke’s and BJC as we build on our shared mission to better serve our patients, teams and communities,” Saint Luke’s Health System CEO Melinda L. Estes, MD said. “Together, we have the opportunity to improve the health of our communities for decades to come and to establish a new national standard for medical education and research.”

BJC President and CEO Richard Liekweg will continue to serve as CEO of the integrated health system and Estes previously announced plans to retire at the end of the year.

“This is an exciting day for the future of health care in the Midwest,” Liekweg said. “Our thorough due diligence review, in partnership with Saint Luke’s, has affirmed the vital opportunities we have to improve health care across the communities we serve.”