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UnityPoint Health-Methodist and Proctor move forward

Denise Molina-Weiger
/
Peoria Public Radio

UnityPoint Health-Methodist and Proctor are looking ahead after they received final approval to combine. Proctor is now part of the UnityPoint Health system as well as its physicians, various clinics, and services. That includes the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery and the Hult Center for Healthy Living.

An integration team of executives and physicians from both hospitals will now develop a plan that best optimizes their resources and talents to better serve area residents. Debbie Simon is the President and CEO of both UnityPoint hospitals. She says the physicians, leaders, staff, and the community will be engaged in the process.

“We do know that the community expects to have very high quality accessible services, but also cost effective services. The cost of health care in this country is unsustainable, so we will be looking for the opportunities where we can provide more cost effective care and retain accessibility.”

Simon says the integration process will also determine how four-thousand employees among the two hospitals will be impacted. She says goal is to keep the process transparent. Simon says there will be one board overseeing both UnityPoint hospitals. The organizations will announce a new executive structure to lead the combined entity within the next month.