Saint Luke’s, BJC HealthCare Announce Plans For Integrated Health System

Saint Luke’s Health System and St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare collaborate to form an integrated Missouri-based health system according to the hospitals on Wednesday.

As part of a non-binding letter of intent, both health systems hope to bring healthcare to more than six million Missouri residents. The letter was signed unanimously by both Board of Directors.

“I am pleased to share that Saint Luke’s has announced plans to join with BJC HealthCare, a nonprofit health system based in St. Louis, Missouri.” Saint Luke’s Health System President and CEO Melinda L. Estes, MD said in a letter to patients Wednesday. “Together, we’ll be able to accelerate our shared mission to provide exceptional patient care within the region – now and into the future.”

The health systems are expected to complete an agreement in the coming months, according to the release.

After the agreement is complete, dual headquarters will be operating the new system, one HQ in St. Louis serving eastern Missouri and southern Illinois while the other HQ in Kansas City serving western Missouri and portions of Kansas.

“Our integrated health system, with complementary expertise and team of world-class physicians and caregivers, will set a new national standard for medical education and research. Through our decade-long relationship as a member of the BJC Collaborative, we’ve established mutual trust and respect, so the opportunity to come together as a single integrated system that can accelerate innovation to better serve patients is a logical next step. Together, we will advance our shared mission to continue improving the health of our patients,” Estes said in the release.

The new joint system aims to be the “premier Midwest destination” for patient care and clinical research. Together, the two systems bring in more than $10 billion in revenue and operate the top three hospitals in Missouri according to the release.

BJC Health Care is comprised of 14 hospitals and net revenues equaling $6.3 billion with more than 27,000 employees as of 2022, according to BJC Health Care’s data.

Posted May 31, 2023