Sylvania Franciscan Health Signs Letter of Intent with Catholic Health Initiatives

Today Sylvania Franciscan Health (SFH) and Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) signed a non- binding letter of intent for SFH to join CHI. The two health care systems will negotiate the terms of the sponsorship agreement with the expectation of reaching an agreement by fall 2014.

The organizations have entered into formal discussions that, if successful, would bring together two strong systems with similar missions, values and long histories of service to the communities they serve.

CHI would become the sole sponsor of Sylvania Franciscan Health, which includes Franciscan Living Communities in Kentucky and Ohio, St. Joseph Health System in the Brazos Valley region of Texas, and the Trinity Health System Region joint venture in Eastern Ohio near the West Virginia border. In this potential agreement, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, would continue to sponsor their health and human services ministries of Bethany House, Our Lady of Grace, Rosary Care Center, the Sophia Center, and Convent Park Apartments, as well as their education ministry of Lourdes University.