Santiam Hospital in Stayton says it intends to join with Samaritan hospitals

Santiam Hospital in Stayton said Wednesday that it intends to join with Samaritan Health Services, a nonprofit hospital system based in Corvallis.

The hospital and Samaritan Health Services said they had signed a non-binding letter of intent to evaluate the affiliation, with the goal of Santiam Hospital joining with Samaritan and maintaining a local board if the merger is approved. They said the affiliation process could take more than a year.

Combining the entities may be subject to regulatory review, according to Santiam Hospital.

The nonprofit hospital, which has 40 licensed beds, has operated in Stayton since 1953 and has more than 600 employees, including 70 medical staff members. It also operates 11 clinics across Marion and Linn counties.

“To fulfill our mission, we will need the contributions of our talented and dedicated staff and clinicians; and we know that bringing together expertise from both systems will enhance our respective operations and services,” Maggie Hudson, president and CEO of Santiam Hospital, said in a statement.

Samaritan operates hospitals in Albany, Lebanon, Corvallis, Newport and Lincoln City. It has 339 total licensed beds between the five hospitals and employs 6,000 people at its hospitals and clinics.

“Throughout our discussions, it has been clear that the alignment of our organizations — our missions, values and culture — positions us well to strengthen services across the region for those in our communities,” said Doug Boysen, president and CEO of Samaritan Health Services.

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Santiam Hospital looks to join Samaritan Health Services