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Mercy Health-Youngstown, Prima joining forces

YOUNGSTOWN — Mercy Health-Youngstown, the Mahoning Valley’s largest health care provider, and Prima Health Care, the region’s largest independent physician practice, have announced plans to come together.

The organizations have signed a letter of intent to bring Prima Health Care and its providers and staff into Mercy Health-Youngstown. The move will optimize coordination of care, enhance communication and enrich the patient experience across all Mercy Health and Prima points of care, according to a joint news release.

Prima Health Care has 30 primary care and seven specialty physicians and advanced-practice providers. Prima’s strong focus on primary care will enhance the Mercy Health-Youngstown physician network, which is already the largest in the Mahoning Valley.

Donald Kline, chief executive officer of Mercy Health-Youngstown, said coming together with Prima will strengthen care across the region.

“This is an exciting milestone not only for Mercy Health and Prima, but for the communities we mutually serve,” Kline said. “We’re confident that our shared commitment to caring for our communities will enable us to come together to offer the highest-quality healthcare and the most extensive provider options to the Mahoning Valley.”

Prima Health Care currently cares for patients in southern Mahoning and Columbiana counties through offices in Boardman, Columbiana and Salem.

The agreement between Mercy Health-Youngstown and Prima Health Care is expected to be finalized in the third quarter 2018. In the coming months, the organizations will work to conduct transition planning and complete the credentialing process for Prima providers.

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