Orlando Health to affiliate with Lakeland Regional Health

Lakeland, FL & Orlando, FL -- Lakeland Regional Health (LRH) and Orlando Health (OH) have signed a letter of intent to form an affiliation that will create an integrated regional health care system. The regional system will better position both organizations to expand clinical programs, improve access, and enhance the clinical quality of services provided. It will also foster the development of an academic graduate medical education program at LRH, manage population health across the region, and promote joint formation of strategic goals and objectives.

“Our physicians, nurses and team members are dedicated to delivering the best outcomes and safest care to our community and to our patients and families. Through the support and dedication of the Lakeland community, we have established a long and rich heritage of exceptional health care service,” said Elaine C. Thompson, PhD, FACHE, president and CEO of LRH. “Today, we have the extraordinary opportunity to expand that heritage and bring together two health systems that share complementary people-centered, clinically advanced cultures.” 

“We are extremely pleased to affiliate with nationally recognized Lakeland Regional Health,” said David Strong, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “Today’s rapidly changing health care environment is creating exciting ways to improve the health of not only individuals, but of entire populations. With this affiliation, together we will touch more than three million people who will benefit from the shared knowledge and expertise, enhanced service line offerings, and coordinated care provided by our joint efforts.”

The affiliation will become effective October 1, 2017 following a period of due diligence and the execution of a definitive agreement detailing the relationship between the two systems. As proposed, LRH will continue to be governed by a Board of Directors made up of leaders living in the Lakeland community with the addition of one director representing Orlando Health. Two directors from the LRH Board will be appointed to Orlando Health’s Board of Directors. Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center will remain a City of Lakeland asset. 

“During the last several years we have diligently worked with Dr. Thompson and her team to strengthen the partnership between the City of Lakeland and LRH to ensure the sustainability of Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center as one of our most important City assets,” said Tony Delgado, Lakeland City Manager. “The affiliation with Orlando Health strategically positions our community’s health system for a strong and optimistic future.” 

“LRH and Orlando Health share the same passion for safe and effective healthcare,” said Timothy J. Regan, MD, LRH Medical Center President and Chief Medical Officer. “Our affiliation joins two health systems that over the last few years have regularly received exceptional safety ratings from a variety of leading organizations that assess quality and safety including US News and World Report, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Joint Commission, and The Leapfrog Group.”

The position of LRH President and Chief Executive Officer will continue to be held by Elaine C. Thompson, PhD, FACHE, who will dually report to the LRH Board of Directors and the CEO of Orlando Health. In addition, Dr. Thompson will assume delegated regional system oversight responsibilities. 

Other affiliations currently in place with both organizations will continue. For LRH, this includes affiliations with Watson Clinic, Radiology and Imaging Specialists, Nemours Children’s Health System, Mayo Clinic Care Network, and USF Neurosciences. Orlando Health’s current affiliations include Medical Center Radiology Group, UF Health, and South Lake Hospital. Both organizations will have the ability to pursue future clinical affiliations that benefit their respective communities, and both Foundations will remain under the control of their respective health care systems with funds raised used exclusively to benefit and support each system’s projects and communities.

Orlando Health is a private, not-for-profit health care system that has been caring for the Central Florida community since 1918. Orlando Health consists of eight acute care hospitals (2,295 beds) and was recently granted a certificate of need to build a 9th hospital in the Horizon West community in west Orange County. The organization has more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, 500 employed physicians, and 18,000 employees. In addition, Orlando Health is a teaching hospital that trains over 250 physician residents in 7 different clinical programs and 17 fellowship programs. 

LRH is a private, not-for-profit health care system that has been caring for its community since 1916. LRH consists of Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, which is Florida’s fifth largest hospital with 849 beds, including the 32-bed Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine, as well as the Hollis Cancer Center and other care locations providing outpatient healthcare services. LRH has over 500 physician members of its medical staff, employs 135 physicians, and has over 5,200 employees. 

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based $2.6 billion network of physician practices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. More than 2,000 physicians have privileges at Orlando Health, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with more than 18,000 employees who serve nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $204 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

About Lakeland Regional Health 

As a catalyst for community health, not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health is reaching beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Hollis Cancer Center and ambulatory care locations. LRH holds Most Wired Advanced status from American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 849-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates a Level II Trauma Center, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine and the nation’s busiest single site Emergency Department. For more information about Lakeland Regional Health, visit http://myLRH.org.

Tags: Healthcare