MU Health Care CEO says talks with SSM Health ‘moving in very positive direction’
The CEO of MU Health said talks with SSM Health are “moving along in a very positive direction.”
Jonathan Curtright gave an update on the discussions during the UM Board of Curators Health Affairs meeting in Columbia Monday.
In August, ABC 17 News reported that MU Health Care signed a letter of intent with SSM Health to purchase St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City and Audrain Medical Center in Mexico.
On Monday, Curtright said the “due diligence” talks continue, and he should have an answer soon as to whether the purchase would make sense for the system.
MU Health Care is working to make more room for patients and expand access to health care across central Missouri. Curtright reiterated those goals during his presentation to the board.
“If we do our job right, the life on this should last decades if not longer, and we want to make sure that it’s created and planned for and executed in the best possible way,” Curtright told ABC 17 News.
In terms of a timeline, Curtright said MU Health Care hopes to have something decided by the middle of 2019.
“We have an outstanding team that’s working on this from our senior executives at MU Health Care-as well as our leadership down in Jefferson City, and we have wonderful financial and legal advisors that are helping us,” he said. “It’s going well. It’s moving in the right direction.”
