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AMITA Health
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AMITA Health was an interfaith health system formed as a joint venture between Alexian Brothers Health System and Presence Health (both part of Ascension) and Adventist Midwest Health (part of AdventHealth).[1] As of 2021, AMITA operated 19 hospitals and numerous medical offices, among other facilities. In 2022, the joint venture was dissolved.[2]
Key Information
History
[edit]In February 2015, AMITA Health was created as a joint venture between Alex Brothers Health System (part of Ascension) and Adventist Midwest Health (part of AdventHealth).[1] In 2018, Ascension acquired Presence Health and merged it into AMITA Health.[7] Company representatives stated that the name AMITA was chosen for its significant in several languages: in Hebrew, it means honesty and truth; in Hindi, it means spiritual light and boundlessness; and it Italian, it means friendship.[1] In September 2019, several executives left Amita Health, including original CEO Mark Frey.[8] In December 2019, the company appointed Keith A. Parrot president and CEO.[4]
On October 21, 2021, AMITA Health announced that the joint venture would be dissolved, with each member hospital remaining in one of those two original groups.[9][10] The split became effective on April 1, 2022. The Adventist locations rebranded to the AdventHealth name, while Ascension Illinois unified the former Presence Health and Alexian Brothers facilities under the Ascension name.[2]
Religious heritage
[edit]The founders of the AMITA Health facilities were:[3]
- Congregation of Alexian Brothers
- Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart
- Servants of the Holy Heart of Jesus
- Seventh-day Adventist Church Illinois Conference
- Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
- Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Holy Family Province
- Sisters of the Resurrection, Immaculate Conception Province
All of the founders and of the acquired medical groups and centers, except for those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, were affiliated with the Catholic Church.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Karp, Gregory (April 13, 2015). "Amita Health is new name for hospital joint venture". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c Schencker, Lisa (April 1, 2022). "Amita Health officially splits up, with hospitals getting new names". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "About AMITA Health". AMITA Health. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ a b Stephanie, Goldberg (December 23, 2019). "Amita names new CEO". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Vaidya, Anuja (November 1, 2016). "Amita Health names Ray Kupres COO & Dr. Stuart Marcus inaugural chief clinical officer". Becker's Hospital Review. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "AMITA Health Stronger Together" (PDF). AMITA Health. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ "Presence to join Amita Health". The Herald-News. Joliet. February 21, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Goldberg, Stephanie (September 16, 2019). "Top brass turnover comes at a bad time for Amita Health". Modern Healthcare. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ Esposito, Stefano (October 21, 2021). "After seven years, AMITA Health partnership breaking up". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ a b Schenker, Lisa (October 21, 2021). "Amita Health splitting up, as organizations decide to go separate ways". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
AMITA Health
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Formation and naming
AMITA Health was established in February 2015 as a joint operating company through a partnership between Alexian Brothers Health System, a Catholic ministry of Ascension, and Adventist Midwest Health, a subsidiary of the Seventh-day Adventist-affiliated AdventHealth. The definitive agreement for this interfaith collaboration was reached in October 2014, with the joint venture legally formed on February 4, 2015, following board approvals. This structure allowed the organizations to integrate operations while preserving their distinct religious identities and asset ownership, aiming to enhance coordinated care in the evolving healthcare landscape.[8][9] The name "AMITA" was selected in April 2015 to reflect the partnership's emphasis on unity and shared values, drawing from multiple linguistic origins: "honesty" and "truth" in Hebrew, "spiritual light" and "boundlessness" in Hindi, and "friendship" in Italian. This multifaceted etymology symbolized the honest collaboration, boundless potential, and friendly alliance between the Catholic and Seventh-day Adventist sponsors. The branding choice underscored the system's commitment to inclusive, faith-inspired care serving diverse communities in the Chicago suburbs.[1][10] At its inception, AMITA Health integrated nine hospitals—five from Alexian Brothers Health System and four from Adventist Midwest Health—along with a network of over 3,000 affiliated physicians, to form a unified nonprofit health system serving more than 3.8 million residents in the west and northwest Chicago suburbs. The initial goals focused on operational efficiencies, improved patient access, and coordinated services without altering the underlying ownership of facilities. Headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois, at the site of the Alexian Brothers base, the organization launched with a shared leadership model featuring Mark Frey, CEO of Alexian Brothers, serving as AMITA's CEO, and David Crane, CEO of Adventist Midwest Health, as chief operating officer and executive vice president. This structure ensured balanced representation from both parent entities in guiding the integration.[8][11]Operational scope
At its peak in 2021, AMITA Health operated 19 hospitals and more than 230 outpatient sites of care, employing over 25,000 individuals.[12][13] The system served communities across northern Illinois, with some outreach extending to parts of Indiana.[14][15] AMITA Health's mission centered on extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ through compassionate, holistic care that respected diverse faith traditions, while emphasizing preventive health initiatives, community outreach programs, and access to advanced medical services.[16][17] This approach integrated faith-based values into daily operations, fostering an environment of inclusive healing for patients and families.[18] Financially, AMITA Health generated annual net patient revenue exceeding $4 billion by 2018, functioning as a nonprofit joint operating company governed collaboratively by the boards of its parent organizations, Ascension and AdventHealth.[19][20] The system's geographic emphasis was on the Chicago metropolitan area and its suburbs, such as Elk Grove Village, Hinsdale, and La Grange, where it provided comprehensive healthcare to urban and suburban populations.[21][22]History
Pre-merger organizations
The Alexian Brothers Health System was founded in 1866 by the Alexian Brothers, a Catholic religious order dedicated to serving the sick, poor, and marginalized through holistic care that addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.[23][24] Originating in Chicago with a small hospital in an old frame house, the system expanded over the decades to include multiple facilities focused on community health and support for vulnerable populations.[23] By 2014, it operated five hospitals in the Chicago suburbs, including Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village and St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, emphasizing compassionate, faith-inspired service.[9] Adventist Midwest Health, part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's broader network, was established as a regional health system in 1984 to coordinate care across Illinois facilities with a strong emphasis on preventive health, education, and wellness programs. Its roots trace back to earlier Adventist institutions, such as the Hinsdale Sanitarium opened in 1904, but the modern system integrated operations for community-focused services aligned with Adventist principles of whole-person health.[25] By 2014, it managed four hospitals in Chicago suburbs—Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, and Adventist GlenOaks Hospital—while incorporating Sabbath observance in operations, such as limiting non-essential activities from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset to honor religious commitments.[9][26] Prior to the partnership, both systems faced mounting challenges from escalating healthcare costs, regulatory pressures, and a highly competitive Chicago market dominated by larger networks like Northwestern Medicine and Advocate Health Care.[27] These factors strained resources for technology investments, care coordination, and service expansion, prompting a need for economies of scale to enhance efficiency and reach without full asset consolidation.[28][29] Negotiations between Alexian Brothers Health System and Adventist Midwest Health began in early 2014, culminating in a non-binding letter of intent in June to form a joint operating company that would integrate operations while preserving separate ownership and denominational identities.[30] Driven by aligned nonprofit, faith-based missions to deliver accessible care, the agreement addressed competitive pressures by combining their nine hospitals to serve over 1 million patients annually in the suburbs, despite differences in Catholic and Adventist traditions.[27][31] A definitive agreement followed in October 2014, pending regulatory approval, marking a strategic step toward greater collaboration in a evolving healthcare landscape.[9][32]Merger and early years
AMITA Health was established in February 2015 as a joint operating company formed by Adventist Midwest Health and Alexian Brothers Health System, a subsidiary of Ascension.[1] This partnership aimed to create an integrated health system delivering efficient, high-quality, faith-based care across the Chicago metropolitan area, combining the strengths of both organizations while preserving their religious heritages.[1] The official name, selected from over 1,000 public submissions in a contest, was announced on April 13, 2015, marking the beginning of unified branding efforts to reflect the system's inclusive mission.[1] Integration in the early years focused on standardizing administrative functions and operational processes, though the joint operating structure initially maintained separate governance from the parent organizations.[33] Mark Frey was appointed president and CEO at launch, providing stable leadership without an initial co-CEO arrangement.[1] Early achievements included the rollout of community health programs, such as a 2016 partnership funding child psychiatric services, contributing to the system's annual provision of over $82 million in community health initiatives and $48 million in financial assistance.[34] These efforts emphasized wellness education and accessible care, aligning with the interfaith commitment to compassionate service.[35] Despite these advances, the partnership faced challenges in cultural integration between Catholic and Adventist staff, stemming from differing doctrinal perspectives on issues like end-of-life care and reproductive health services.[33] Early financial performance benefited from shared services aimed at cost efficiencies, though specific savings figures from 2015 to 2017 were not publicly detailed, with the focus on long-term operational synergies.[1] By 2017, these foundational efforts had stabilized the system, setting the stage for further growth while navigating interfaith collaboration.[33]Expansion through acquisitions
In February 2018, Ascension reached an agreement to acquire Presence Health, a major Catholic health system in Illinois, for an undisclosed amount, with the transaction finalized in March 2018.[36][3] This move integrated Presence's assets into AMITA Health, the joint venture between Ascension's Alexian Brothers Health System and Adventist Midwest Health, expanding AMITA's network from nine hospitals to 19 across the Chicago region.[37] Presence Health itself had been formed in 2011 through the merger of Provena Health and Resurrection Health Care, two Catholic organizations that brought complementary geographic coverage, including facilities in downtown Chicago from Resurrection and in the southern and western suburbs from Provena.[38][39] The integration bolstered AMITA's position in the Chicago market, where Presence held approximately 10 percent share prior to the deal, combining with AMITA's existing footprint to create one of the area's largest providers serving nearly 6 million residents.[40] It also enhanced specialty services, particularly in cardiology, oncology, neuroscience, and orthopedics, by leveraging Presence's established programs and expanding access to advanced care through a diversified physician network of over 7,000 providers.[41] However, the merger led to operational adjustments, including the discontinuation of certain low-utilization service lines at three smaller former Presence hospitals in 2019 to address redundancies and optimize resources across the expanded system.[42] Strategically, the acquisition aimed to build a dominant regional network capable of managing population health more effectively, aligning the faith-based missions of both organizations while improving efficiency in delivering holistic care.[41] Post-merger, AMITA's combined operations generated annual revenues exceeding $4 billion, underscoring the scale of the unified entity in Illinois' competitive healthcare landscape.[43][20]Dissolution and split
On October 21, 2021, Ascension and AdventHealth announced their decision to dissolve the AMITA Health joint venture after nearly seven years of operation.[44][45] The organizations stated that separating would allow each to more effectively address evolving consumer needs and expectations in the rapidly changing healthcare landscape.[7][46] This move reversed the 2015 partnership formed between Adventist Midwest Health (part of AdventHealth) and Alexian Brothers Health System (part of Ascension), which had expanded through the 2018 addition of Presence Health facilities.[6] The dissolution divided AMITA's network of 19 hospitals and associated outpatient facilities, with the split becoming effective on April 1, 2022.[47][48] AdventHealth retained operational control of four hospitals originally from its Adventist Midwest Health portfolio, rebranding them as AdventHealth Bolingbrook, AdventHealth GlenOaks, AdventHealth Hinsdale, and AdventHealth La Grange.[49][47] Ascension assumed responsibility for the remaining 15 hospitals, which were reorganized under Ascension Illinois, encompassing former Alexian Brothers and Presence Health sites such as Ascension Alexian Brothers and Ascension Saint Joseph.[47][6] The division followed a disaffiliation agreement executed by the parent entities, ensuring each regained full governance over its contributed assets.[50] The transition emphasized continuity, with both organizations committing to a phased rebranding process that avoided interruptions in patient care or services.[7][51] Leadership roles were reassigned internally, including AMITA CEO Keith Parrott leading Ascension Illinois and AMITA EVP/COO Thor Thordarson overseeing AdventHealth's Illinois operations, to facilitate seamless operations.[51] Staff transitions prioritized retention, with employed physicians and teams integrating into the respective parent systems' medical groups, maintaining over 24,000 positions across the network.[50] By early 2022, the legal aspects of the dissolution were finalized, retiring the AMITA Health brand entirely and redirecting its digital presence to the successor entities' platforms.[52][6] This marked the end of the joint operating company, allowing Ascension and AdventHealth to pursue independent strategies in the Chicago-area market without overlapping administrative structures.[48]Facilities and services
Hospital network
AMITA Health operated a network of 19 hospitals across the greater Chicago area from 2018 to 2022, providing a comprehensive range of inpatient services.[53] The system encompassed acute care, specialty, and rehabilitation facilities, primarily serving communities in the suburbs and urban centers of northeastern Illinois. These hospitals were integrated through mergers and the 2018 acquisition of Presence Health, enabling coordinated care delivery under a unified banner.[54] The following table lists the core hospitals in the network, including their locations:| Hospital Name | Location |
|---|---|
| AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center | Elk Grove Village |
| AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital | Hoffman Estates |
| AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation Hospital | Elk Grove Village |
| AMITA Health St. Alexius Medical Center | Hoffman Estates |
| AMITA Health Women's and Children's Hospital | Hoffman Estates |
| AMITA Health Holy Family Medical Center | Des Plaines |
| AMITA Health Mercy Medical Center | Aurora |
| AMITA Health Resurrection Medical Center | Chicago |
| AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital | Evanston |
| AMITA Health Saint Joseph Hospital | Chicago |
| AMITA Health Saint Joseph Hospital | Elgin |
| AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center | Joliet |
| AMITA Health Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center* | Chicago |
| AMITA Health St. Mary Hospital | Kankakee |
| AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook | Bolingbrook |
| AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks | Glendale Heights |
| AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale | Hinsdale |
| AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center La Grange | La Grange |
