Bon Secours Mercy Health acquires three Va. hospitals

Community Health Systems no longer operates in the state

Published January 6, 2020 by Sydney Lake

Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health has completed the acquisition of three Virginia hospitals: the 300-bed Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, the 105-bed Southampton Memorial Hospital in Franklin and the 80-bed Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center in Emporia.

Bon Secours Mercy Health acquired the hospitals from Franklin, Tennessee-based Community Health Systems Inc.

Financial terms of the acquisitions were not released, but the sale is effective as of Jan. 1. The hospitals were acquired through an asset purchase agreement that clinical and operations leaders began working on in fall 2019. All active associates in good standing at the three hospitals have joined Bon Secours Mercy Health.

As a result of the acquisition, Community Health Systems (CHS) no longer owns, leases or operates any hospitals in Virginia. CHS owns, leases or operates 99 affiliated acute care hospitals in 17 states.

“Southeastern Virginia is a rapidly growing area, and we look forward to continuing to invest in the health and well-being of area residents while ensuring our facilities are places where associates want to work, clinicians want to practice, people seek wellness and communities thrive,” Bon Secours Mercy Health President and CEO John Starcher said in a statement.

The hospitals are now a part of the Bon Secours Mercy Health Atlantic Group, with Southside Regional Medical Center and Southern Virginia Medical Center in the system’s Richmond market and Southampton Memorial Hospital in its  Hampton Roads market.

“I am excited Southside Regional Medical Center and Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center have joined the Richmond market,” said Faraaz Yousuf, president of the Bon Secours Richmond market.  “Our ministry is known for its ability to sustain and enhance medical services in a variety of communities, and I look forward to finding synergies and working with our new associates to serve the communities of Petersburg and Emporia, Virginia.” Yousuf started as Richmond market president in December 2019.

The Maryland-based Bon Secours Health System merged with Mercy Health in September 2018. The combined Bon Secours Mercy Health is one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and the fifth-largest Catholic health care ministry in the nation. It owns and operates 48 hospitals across seven U.S. states and Ireland. Its workforce totals more than 60,000 associates.