Mercy CEO to lead merged Catholic health system

The president and CEO of Cincinnati-based Mercy Health will lead a soon-to-be-formed mega Catholic health care system with locations in Springfield and Greater Cincinnati.

The new organization, Bon Secours Mercy Health, will be formed this fall and be led by John M. Starcher Jr., now president and CEO of Mercy Health.

When Bon Secours and Mercy combine, the health care company will have more than 57,000 employees and 1,000 locations. Some of those locations include Mercy Health — Fairfield Hospital, Mercy Health — Urbana Hospital, and Mercy Health — Springfield Regional Medical Center.

Mercy is Springfield’s largest employer and is one of the largest employers in Ohio with more than 33,500 employees.

The giant health network will gain even more buying and negotiating power by joining forces with Bon Secours. However, Bon Secours and Mercy serve different markets, and the deal won’t consolidate competititors in the Miami Valley.

“Our new ministry has an exciting future before it. It is positioned to be more successful than Mercy Health and Bon Secours ever could be as separate entities,” Starcher said in a statement.

Bon Secours President and CEO Rich Statuto will retire in 2019.

At this time, all Mercy Health facilities will maintain current names.

The impact of the massive Mercy-Bon Secours merger on patients in Clark and Champaign counties isn’t immediately clear. Officials at Mercy have previously said the agreement isn’t expected to affect local facilities, including Springfield Regional Medical Center and Mercy Health-Urbana Hospital.