METROPLEX NEWS RELEASE
For more information contact: July 2, 2008
Susan Kolodziejczyk, Metroplex Community Relations
254-519-8122
or
Rhona Williams London, Scott & White Media Relations
254-724-7758
Metroplex and Scott & White Finalize Partnership
KILLEEN – Metroplex Health System and Scott & White Healthcare has finalized their new partnership.
“We are now ready to work together in growing the medical services available to the communities we serve,” said Metroplex President and CEO Kenneth A. Finch. “As the needs of our region grow and change, this seems like a natural way for us to continue to provide personalized care while we enhance the availability of options and services.”
“Scott & White views this partnership as another example of our on-going commitment to providing quality, patient-focused care throughout Central Texas,” said Scott & White Healthcare President and CEO Alfred B. Knight, M.D. “We expect that the infusion of new services—as identified by community physicians—will provide Killeen-area patients with more convenient access to a wide range of specialty care.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Metroplex Adventist Hospital retains its name and all hospital employees will continue to be Metroplex associates. In addition, Metroplex will continue to support all private practice physicians who choose to admit patients to the hospital under its “open-model” health care system.
Temple-based Scott & White Healthcare now holds a 32 percent interest in the 148–bed Metroplex Adventist Hospital in Killeen, the 60-bed Behavioral Health Center in Killeen, and the 25-bed Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas. Adventist Health System, the 10th largest hospital system in the country, will retain 68 percent ownership.
Metroplex will retain its mission-oriented approach to healthcare and its community hospital approach of providing compassionate, personalized healthcare by extending the healing ministry of Christ.
Metroplex will continue to oversee management of its open-medical staff system. Adventist Health System will continue to manage the Metroplex assets in a manner consistent with the mission and applicable doctrine of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. AHS will also continue to manage all corporate matters.
The two have also reached an agreement to work together to increase inpatient, outpatient and ancillary health services at Metroplex.
“With this partnership we are now able to share resources in areas of quality improvement, planning for the future, education, increased hospital and physician services, and in working together to address the community’s health needs,” said Finch.
“Scott & White Healthcare has been recognized for its commitment to quality care and will collaborate with Metroplex in recruiting new medical leadership to oversee patient safety and quality initiatives supporting our joint commitment to continuous improvement of care,” said Dr. Knight.
A majority of all qualified Metroplex physicians have already been credentialed with the Scott & White Health Plan. Over the next 36 months Scott & White Healthcare will initially employ more than a dozen specialists in cardiology, general surgery and orthopedic surgery to serve on the medical staff at Metroplex Hospital and practice full-time in the Killeen or Lampasas areas. This will increase the number of services available and provide a greater opportunity for healthcare within the local communities.
Scott & White will also enter into a lease for space in a medical office building to be developed on the Metroplex campus. This medical building will provide offices for both Scott & White physicians and other independent community physician’s offices.
Metroplex will retain its Community Board. It will have a proportionate number of Adventist Health System members and Scott & White members.
“Ultimately, the goal for both healthcare institutions is to ensure residents find more of the healthcare they need close to home,” Finch said.
About Metroplex
Metroplex Health System is the primary healthcare provider for West Bell, Coryell, and Lampasas counties, offering a wide array of medical and wellness services. The 233 bed, multi-campus facility is a not-for-profit Christian organization operated as a community service by the Adventist Health System, which manages 37 hospitals and employs over 43,000 people in the U.S. Adventist Health System is the 10th largest hospital system in the country.
About Scott & White:
Scott & White Healthcare is a non-profit health care system established in 1897. Recognized among the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals®, Scott & White is the principal clinical teaching facility affiliated with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. The Temple campus includes a four-year medical curriculum. Along with its 636-bed flagship hospital and clinic facility in Temple, Texas, Scott & White also includes its Continuing Care Hospital on Temple's West Campus and a 72-bed acute care hospital at the University Medical Campus in Round Rock. With more than 650 physicians and scientists, Scott & White has become one of the nation's largest multi-specialty group practice systems. The nationally recognized Scott & White Health Plan is another component of the system, providing health care insurance to more than 225,000 members.
-30-