Samaritan Health Services will officially become part of MultiCare Health System on Nov. 1, the two organizations announced.
The start date comes after every public agency reviewing the deal either approved it or said it intends to. MultiCare is a nonprofit health system based in Washington state. Samaritan, headquartered in Corvallis, serves the mid-Willamette Valley and central Oregon Coast.
The organizations said patients should not see any disruption in care. People will be able to keep their current Samaritan providers and scheduled appointments, continue using Samaritan pharmacies and access their health records through MyChart. The same holds for Samaritan Health Plans members.
The affiliation will not change which insurance plans Samaritan accepts or the types of plans Samaritan Health Plans offers.
Samaritan will keep its name, along with its local leadership and community-based governance, under the new arrangement.
The two health systems first announced their intent to affiliate in 2025 after what they described as a lengthy evaluation and due diligence process. As part of the deal, MultiCare has committed to investing $700 million over 10 years. That money is earmarked for expanding access to care, recruiting and retaining providers, upgrading facilities and technology, and bringing more services closer to where patients live.
“This milestone brings us closer to putting the investment and resources of our partnership to work for the people we serve,” said Marty Cahill, Samaritan’s president and CEO. “I am grateful to our employees, clinicians, board members and community partners for their dedication throughout this process. Together with MultiCare, we will build a stronger future for health care in our region while remaining rooted in our communities.”
Bill Robertson, MultiCare’s CEO, said the organization looks forward to investing across Samaritan’s service area as part of its goal to become the Pacific Northwest’s highest-value health system.
“Together, we can build on the strengths of both organizations and invest in the future of health care for the people who depend on us,” Robertson said.
Starting Nov. 1, teams from both organizations will begin a phased integration. The organizations said changes will be rolled out gradually, with input from clinicians and employees, and a locally led regional strategic planning process will help shape future investments and service priorities based on community needs.
“Bringing health care organizations together is thoughtful work that happens over time,” said Florence Chang, president of MultiCare. “As our partnership begins, we look forward to listening, learning and working alongside Samaritan to identify opportunities that create lasting benefits for patients, employees and communities.”
More information and answers to frequently asked questions are available at samhealth.org/Affiliation. Questions can also be emailed to affiliation@samhealth.org.