Three non-profit hospital groups and the country’s largest for-profit chain emerged as the leading candidates to merge with Indian River Medical Center following a meeting Friday of the board of IRMC and trustees of the Indian River County Hospital District.
Eight health systems submitted preliminary proposals to take over IRMC, and the list was cut to four after consultants hired to screen merger prospects presented their findings to a packed conference room at the medical center.
The leading candidate among the non-profits appeared to be the world famous Cleveland Clinic, which already operates a satellite medical center in Weston, Florida. The other two non-profits selected for further consideration were Adventist Health System, which operates Florida Hospital in Orlando and a variety of other Florida hospitals; and Orlando Health, operator of Orlando Regional Medical Center and Arnold Palmer Medical Center.
The lone for-profit company included in the final four was HCA Healthcare, operator of Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce.
“We are very pleased by the quality of the organizations who proposed as well as the finalists’ initial proposals, and look forward to learning more about them as the selection process continues,” said Dr. Wayne Hockmeyer, Chair of the IRMC Board.
“This is an important milestone in the process, and we have very good options to consider as we move to the next stage,” said Marybeth Cunningham, Chair of the District Board of Trustees.
The other four submitting preliminary proposals which for the moment have been put on the back burner are Health First, which operates Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne; Steward Health Care System, which operates Sebastian River Medical Center; RCCH HealthCare Partners; and Universal Health Services.
Teams from the four finalists are expected to visit Vero to meet with hospital administrators and physicians during December.
