A medical center in Ludington is pursuing a merger with Spectrum Health based in Grand Rapids.
Memorial Medical Center signed a non-binding letter of intent to negotiate exclusively with Spectrum. Officials say it’s a good time to merge when the medical center is financially healthy. They say the partnership would put them in a better position to weather future changes in the health care industry.
The merger is expected to bring greater stability and expanded medical services to the Ludington area, hospital leaders say. They say they anticipated that the local hospital board would continue to have oversight and that current employees will be retained. Details are to be negotiated in the next few months.
Spectrum Health is the largest employer in West Michigan with nine hospitals. In recent years, Spectrum has held similar talks with hospitals in both Traverse City and Petoskey. Munson Healthcare remains independent. Petoskey’s hospital later joined another downstate hospital system, Flint-based McLaren Health Care.
