Westchester Medical Center and HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley Announce Exploration of Affiliation

WESTCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 5, 2015 – Westchester Medical Center (WMC) and HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley (HAHV) today announced that they have entered into exclusive discussions regarding an affiliation that would result in Westchester Medical Center becoming the sole corporate member of HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley.

"We are very pleased to have signed this letter of intent, formalizing our discussions," said Kevin Ryan, Chair of the HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley Board of Directors. "We look forward to reaching a definitive agreement, pending continued due diligence and regulatory approvals."

"HealthAlliance and Westchester Medical Center both determined that joining forces would improve our hospital systems' ability to provide healthcare services in our communities," said David Scarpino, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley. "We at HealthAlliance also found the vision and goals of Westchester to resonate greatly with those of our hospital system."

"A strategic alliance with the HealthAlliance organization will serve to strengthen both of our organizations by allowing for better ties between the communities served in Ulster, Delaware and Dutchess counties and the care provided at Westchester Medical Center's campuses, hospitals and practices," said Michael D. Israel, President and CEO of Westchester Medical Center. "By bringing the right healthcare offerings and the best care providers into the communities we serve, all of our organizations and the children and adults of our region will benefit."

"Westchester Medical Center has a long history in the Hudson Valley and our commitment remains to this region and only this region," said Mark Tulis, Chair of the Westchester Medical Center Board of Directors. "The Hudson Valley is our home and our commitment continues to be ensuring that our friends and neighbors have access to the best care right here, without having to leave the region."

Israel added that the recent announcement of similar discussions with the Bon Secours organization is part of a focused regional strategy to ensure that residents of the region receive the best care as close to home as possible.   "Our goal is to further strengthen local programs and offerings in the community, which started with our partnership with MidHudson Regional Hospital last year. Our vision is to partner with and build on an organization's strong foundation, enhance what is available and foster integration and coordination, which will require the long-term viability of these partners and more," Israel added.

Israel added that HealthAlliance is already a major partner in Westchester Medical Center's current partnership with more than 240 local organizations and 4,000 individual providers to develop an integrated delivery system that will improve care coordination and focus on the specific health care problems faced by the low income populations in the area and dramatically improve the care of Medicaid recipients in the Hudson Valley.