AMITA Health explained

AMITA Health
Type:Joint operating company
Area Served:Chicago metropolitan area
Industry:Healthcare
Num Employees:17,260 (2018)[1]
Location City:Lisle, Illinois
Location Country:United States[2]

AMITA Health was an interfaith health system formed as a joint venture between Alexian Brothers Health System and Presence Health (both part of Ascension) and Adventist Midwest Health (part of AdventHealth).[3] As of 2021, AMITA operated 19 hospitals and numerous medical offices, among other facilities. In 2022, the joint venture was dissolved.

History

In February 2015, AMITA Health was created as a joint venture between Alex Brothers Health System (part of Ascension) and Adventist Midwest Health (part of AdventHealth). In 2018, Ascension acquired Presence Health and merged it into AMITA Health.[4] Company representatives stated that the name AMITA was chosen for its significant in several languages: in Hebrew, it means honesty and truth; in Hindi, it means spiritual light and boundlessness; and it Italian, it means friendship.[3] In September 2019, several executives left Amita Health, including original CEO Mark Frey.[5] In December 2019, the company appointed Keith A. Parrot president and CEO.

On October 21, 2021, AMITA Health announced that the joint venture would be dissolved, with each member hospital remaining in one of those two original groups.[6] [7] The split became effective on April 1, 2022. The Adventist locations rebranded to the AdventHealth name, while Ascension Illinois unified the former Presence Health and Alexian Brothers facilities under the Ascension name.[8]

Religious heritage

The founders of the AMITA Health facilities were:

All of the founders and of the acquired medical groups and centers, except for those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, were affiliated with the Catholic Church.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AMITA Health Stronger Together. AMITA Health. 2020-09-14.
  2. Web site: About AMITA Health. AMITA Health. 2021-10-22.
  3. News: Amita Health is new name for hospital joint venture . Gregory . Karp . . 2015-04-13 . 2020-09-14.
  4. News: 2018-02-21. Presence to join Amita Health. The Herald-News. Joliet. 2020-09-14.
  5. Web site: Goldberg. Stephanie. 2019-09-16. Top brass turnover comes at a bad time for Amita Health. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190918051636/https://www.modernhealthcare.com/hospital-systems/top-brass-turnover-comes-bad-time-amita-health. 2019-09-18. 2020-11-25. Modern Healthcare. en.
  6. News: Chicago Sun-Times. Esposito, Stefano. 2021-10-21. After seven years, AMITA Health partnership breaking up. 2021-10-22.
  7. News: Chicago Tribune. Schenker, Lisa. 2021-10-21. Amita Health splitting up, as organizations decide to go separate ways. 2021-10-22.
  8. News: Amita Health officially splits up, with hospitals getting new names. Lisa. Schencker. Chicago Tribune. 2022-04-01. 2022-04-02.