Tacoma, Wash.-based CHI Franciscan and Seattle-based Virginia Mason Medical Center signed a memorandum of understanding July 16 to explore a potential merger, local news affiliate KIRO 7 reports.
What you should know:
1. The health systems have collaborated in the past to provide obstetrics, women's health and radiation oncology care.
2. The system's respective leaders would take a co-leadership role in the combined entity.
3. If the merger is completed, the organization would operate 12 hospitals and more than 250 care sites, including several surgery centers.
4. The combined system would have more than 21,000 employees with around 5,000 providers.