MGH & Bell Form Health Care Partnership

Marquette County’s 2 hospitals are teaming up in an effort to keep more U.P. patients in the U.P. for their care and to grow the health care job market.

Marquette General and Bell Hospital are forming a partnership that they’re calling Superior Health Partners.

But neither facility is buying the other out or merging.

They’ll remain independent of one another.

U.P. patients leaving the region for care means $100 million dollars leaving the region each year.

Bell CEO Rick Ament says patients consider it better to stay local for whatever treatment they need, and it’ll be better from a job creation standpoint.

He says they’ve found that if they can keep $25 million out of that $100 million in the U.P., it would lead to 500 new jobs.

MGH and Bell will be sharing facilities and doctors to offer patients more options and hopefully keep more of them from leaving.

With the U.P.’s strong regional identity, Marquette General CEO Gary Muller thinks the idea is a natural fit for the area.

He says it’s best to find ways to generate more revenue and improvements in patient care locally rather than waiting for the state or the federal government to provide them.

Other hospitals in the U.P. are also welcome to join.

Portage Health CEO Jim Bogan was on hand at the announcement this afternoon and spoke with his counterparts about the concept.