A look inside: The Perry and OSF HealthCare integration journey

Editor’s note: The following piece was submitted by Perry Memorial Hospital and is part of a monthly series that will explain the integration between Perry Memorial Hospital and OSF Healthcare taking place over the next three months.

PRINCETON — The OSF HealthCare and Perry Memorial Hospital integration teams held a virtual kickoff meeting on March 9 with over 170 participants from both organizations.

The meeting focused on ensuring a successful day one, which is expected to occur on July 1. Perry team leaders learned about integration milestones and the value of team efforts across many work streams to ensure a smooth, timely transition over the next four months.

As the progress of the Perry and OSF HealthCare integration journey is shared, the first feature will focus on two foundational departments within the hospital: plant operations and information technology (IT).

Scott Hartman, vice president of operations, oversees both departments.

“Most people don’t think about plant ops or IT as integral health care delivery components,” said Hartman. “Both are expensive to maintain and are as essential to providing patient care as other medical services departments.”

Since the integration process began, OSF Mission Partners, with expertise in facilities, have visited Perry to review systems including electrical, boilers which heat and sterilize, cooling systems and phones.

“Every Mission Partner I have worked with so far has been helpful and encouraging,” said Jeff Day, interim plant operations director.

Through his tours with OSF facility teams, Day was pleased with feedback from the OSF team that the Perry team has done a lot of things well.

“With the added OSF facility resources and standardized systems, our plant ops team will focus on becoming proactive in providing smooth and efficient operations,” he said.

Information technology is the anchor to OSF HealthCare’s innovative digital health approach. IT supports the critical systems of communications and medical information.

Aven Friday, IT director, has spent the last year implementing hardware and software updates to keep Perry’s network systems protected and secure to avoid system interruptions. Integration priorities include improving network connections.

“The OSF technology network will enable us to advance local health care delivery,” said Friday. “Ultimately, our work helps keep patients better connected and closer to home.”

Perry and OSF teams are working together to strengthen technology and infrastructure. They will identify future projects to improve to support patient care services.

“I am excited because this merger creates operational opportunities,” said Hartman. “Patient experience is a primary focus for OSF. Becoming part of OSF will bring additional knowledge, technical and financial resources for our hospital facilities and information technology services.”

Hartman is also preparing to assume the interim CEO position on April 12 as current interim CEO, Patty Luker, will be resuming her retirement. Scott will oversee the integration process through the merger date of July 1.

“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead Perry through the final months of the integration process with OSF,” said Hartman. “I will have the opportunity to work more closely with Perry team members and OSF leaders for a successful integration as we become OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center.”

Next month, Perry will feature its nursing and human resource teams through the integration process.