Baystate Health completed the addition of Mercy Medical Center, its joint-venture affiliates and 45 Massachusetts medical group entities on Sunday, November 1, renaming the Springfield hospital Baystate Mercy Hospital. The transition also brought a new electronic health record and patient portal, while existing appointments, care locations, accepted insurance and phone numbers remain unchanged, according to the health system.
The November 1 announcement pairs a hospital acquisition with a technology conversion. Baystate said it launched its modernized Oracle Health electronic health record across the system and at Mercy on the same day, following seven months of preparation for the integration.
For patients, the most immediate administrative change is the move from Mercy’s MyChart portal to MyBaystate Health. Baystate’s transition information says patients must register for a new account: existing MyChart usernames and passwords will not transfer. The health system expects the former portal to remain available in read-only form for historical information, with further access details to come.
The system said care will continue with existing teams at the same locations in Springfield, Chicopee and Agawam, and scheduled appointments will go ahead as planned. Its patient information states that all insurance plans previously accepted at Mercy will continue to be accepted. Those continuity assurances should not be confused with the portal change, which does require action from patients who want online access.
Baystate Mercy’s emergency department remains open around the clock and is now staffed by Baystate Health’s board-certified emergency medicine faculty. The Sister Caritas Cancer Center is also joining Baystate’s broader cancer program while continuing to provide oncology care locally.
Peter D. Banko, Baystate Health’s president and chief executive, said clinicians will lead work on how the two Springfield hospitals, six blocks apart, can collaborate after the initial stabilization period. He described further work to expand access and improve care as the next stage, rather than announcing a finalized redistribution of services on Sunday.
Andrew Ritz, who led the integration work, is now president and chief operating officer of Baystate Mercy Hospital. Baystate’s closing announcement did not disclose a purchase price. The completed transition is distinct from the agreement announced earlier this year, and the hospital’s new name and technology changes took effect November 1.
JBizNews Desk | Springfield, Massachusetts
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