WellStar Health System and Emory University — two of metro Atlanta’s largest health systems — have opted not to merge after months of talks, WellStar announced Tuesday.
The two systems announced plans to combine assets earlier this year. Such a move would have resulted in a nonprofit health system that would have been the largest of its kind in Georgia and one of the biggest in the nation.
The talks came at a time when health systems are increasingly consolidating hospitals and physician practices in an effort to save money and gain more leverage in dealings with insurers. WellStar has five hospitals in northwest metro Atlanta, including WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta. Emory, meanwhile, operates six hospitals. Both also employ hundreds of doctors at various locations in the metro area.
“We respect Emory University as a leading, international academic medical center,” but WellStar is focusing in another direction, Gary Miller, who chairs WellStar’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement.
Miller also announced Tuesday that Candice Saunders will take over as president and CEO of the health system starting July 1, as part of a succession plan set in place 18 months ago. Current CEO, Reynold Jennings, will become chief strategy officer for the system.
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