Another Merger Victory!

MergerWatch is celebrating the defeat of a proposed joint venture between Abington Memorial Hospital and Holy Redeemer, a neighboring Catholic hospital in Abington, PA. At the end of June, the hospital boards announced plans to explore the possibility of a partnership as part of a strategic long-term plan. However, the community and medical staff were alarmed by Abington Memorial’s agreement to discontinue providing abortions at the request of Holy Redeemer.  Public outcry was swift and highly visible.

An online petition, which gathered over 6,000 signatures in 10 days, and a popular Facebook page, where many posted their angry letters to the board, illustrated how unpopular the proposal was in the community. Over 150 physicians voted unanimously against the proposal at a staff meeting. MergerWatch worked closely with women’s health advocates and concerned physicians sharing our expertise and resources. MergerWatch staff also met with community activists at a planning meeting in Abington. The very next day and just three short weeks after the proposal was announced, the board of AMH voted to discontinue talks with Holy Redeemer. A sweet summer victory!