Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health are moving forward to create a new health system that they say is ‘For Michigan, By MichiganTM.’ The new system, which will be temporarily known as BHSH System, will launch tomorrow, Feb. 1, 2022. Both organizations have provided the applicable regulatory agencies with all requested information and may now proceed to launch their new health system, according to their joint statement, released today.
Leaders of the new merged health system are thanking their thousands of health care workers for their continued commitment during a time of unprecedented challenge.
“We are grateful for all of our physicians, nurses and team members. Their compassion, expertise and dedication have saved many lives during this pandemic,” Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO of Spectrum Health, and future BHSH System President & CEO, said. “As we launch our new health system, we have a bold goal to transform health and are thrilled to unite our two great organizations. Together, we will leverage our complementary strengths to innovate and make a positive impact for our communities and their health. We look forward to working with our physicians, team members, patients, health plan members and partners across our state to provide health care and coverage that is accessible, affordable, equitable and exceptional.”
Beaumont Health Board Chair and incoming BHSH System Board Chair Julie Fream added, “Our focus, as we launch our new health system, is to continue to provide excellent health care and coverage in our communities. We look forward to continuing to partner with our patients, team members and health plan members as we build a new organization designed to improve the health of the communities we serve.”
Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health also announced the board of directors and system leadership team for the new combined health system.
The BHSH System board of directors includes seven members appointed from Beaumont Health and seven members appointed from Spectrum Health. Tina Freese Decker, incoming President & CEO of BHSH System, will also serve on the board, as well as an additional board member who will be named later this year. Members of the new board include:
Christopher Carpenter, MD
Mark Davidoff
Doug DeVos
Julie Fream, Chair
Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO
Marija Grahovac, MD
Ronald Hall
Angel Hernandez, MD
Philomena Mantella, PhD
Timothy O’Brien
William Payne
Robert Roth
Thomas Saeli
Michael Todman
Sean Welsh, Vice Chair
Board Member Michael Todman is the chairman of the board of the Spectrum Health Lakeland division of the new health system. He is the retired former President of Whirlpool Corporation and lives in St. Joseph.
The new BHSH System leadership/management team includes:
Chief Digital and Information Officer – Jason Joseph
Chief Financial Officer – Matthew Cox
Chief Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Social Impact Officer – Open
Chief Integration Officer – Pamela Ries
Chief Integrity and Risk Officer – Open
Chief Legal Officer – David Leonard
Chief Marketing and Consumer Experience Officer – Jeremy Harper
Chief People Officer – Open
Chief Strategy Officer – Open
President, BHSH Beaumont Health – Open; Interim – Nancy Susick, RN
President, BHSH Spectrum Health Lakeland, and Strategic Advisor, BHSH System – Loren Hamel, MD
President, BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan – Darryl Elmouchi, MD
President, Priority Health – Praveen Thadani
Loren Hamel, a longtime physician, has been the President of Lakeland Health and then Spectrum Health Lakeland and has guided that division of the new system through the merger and COVID period. Earlier in his career, Hamel was a physician in Berrien Springs.
The new organization will conduct internal and national searches to fill the open and interim roles, including the national search underway for the president of BHSH Beaumont Health. As announced last year, John Fox, Beaumont Health’s current president, plans to leave the organization. His last day will be Feb. 4.
“I am very proud of our Beaumont team members for their many accomplishments, and I’m especially proud of the compassionate, extraordinary care they have provided for our patients throughout this long pandemic. I’m confident BHSH System will become one of the best health care systems in the nation,” said John Fox, current Beaumont President & CEO.
Sean Welsh, current Spectrum Health System board chair and incoming BHSH System board vice chair, said, “The tremendous talent within these two organizations will be a beacon for others who share this vision for a new health system and the positive change it will create.”
The statement from the new BHSH emphasized that while Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health create this new health system, patients and health plan members are encouraged to access care in the same ways they currently do. All patients will continue to have access to their same sites of care, physicians and health providers, and insurance plans, the statement said.
For more updates and information about the board of directors and leadership teams for each division, visit ForMichiganByMichigan.org.
