SSM seeks sale of St. Mary’s Hospital in Audrain County
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)
The health care profit non-profit that owns the St. Mary's Hospital in Mexico said Tuesday that it is exploring a deal to sell the hospital.
St. Louis-based SSM Health, a Catholic health care non-profit that also operates a hospital in Jefferson City, said it has signed a letter to sell the Audrain County hospital to Noble Health.
The letter says the companies have entered a period of exclusive negotiations. SSM said the sale would include associated community medical group practices.
SSM said in a news release that it bought the 100-year-old hospital in 2013.
A deal could be in place by the end of the year, SSM said.
SSM has looked into deals for its interests in Mid-Missouri over the past few years. In 2018 it explored selling its hospitals to University of Missouri Health Care. Last year SSM sold its home care and hospice operations in Mexico and Jefferson City.
“This continues a process that began two years ago, when we began evaluating potential opportunities to ensure the long-term sustainability of quality health care in the Mid-Missouri region,” SSM Health Regional President Mike Baumgartner said in the news release. “We have worked closely with local leaders and community members to help shape our progress to this point. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure we do what is best for our employees, providers and the communities we serve.”
Noble is based in Kansas City. The company announced in December that it was taking over management of Fulton Medical Center. At the time Noble pledged to update the Fulton hospital and start providing new services.
Noble board chairman Don Peterson said in the SSM news release that his company is "looking forward to setting out on our mission of being champions of hometown healthcare here in Audrain County."
