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Noble, Baystate sign letter of intent, explore partnership

Date: 3/13/2015

WESTFIELD – The field of health care has been shifting, and two local hospitals have decided to roll with the waves.

The boards of trustees for Noble Hospital and Baystate Health announced on March 5 the signing of a letter of intent that would allow the hospitals to explore Noble becoming a part of Baystate.

This move would cement an already existing relationship between the entities, but both sides agreed it would also strengthen it.

Senior Vice President of Community Hospitals for Baystate Dennis Chalke said that making this move would work to serve both Noble and Baystate.

“It’s a win-win relationship. I think it will do a lot for Noble and I think it will help Baystate in terms of providing services to the region of Westfield and surrounding communities,” Chalke said. “I think it’s something that it’s just evolving because of health care reform.”

Chalke said that Ronald Bryant, the president and CEO of Noble Health Network, approached Baystate about exploring their options. It is a move that Bryant said just makes sense, given the strong working relationship.

Noble and Baystate have a track record of referral relationships, a partnership in regards to Baystate’s Reference Laboratories and other collaborations.

While building on this relationship would “pool our resources” and “help us maintain high quality” services, Bryant said, it would also help both Noble and Baystate on a larger scale.

Both Chalke and Bryant said that it is getting progressively more difficult for independent hospitals to thrive on their own. It has become a national trend for smaller hospitals to join in partnerships with larger organizations.

Noble Hospital is no different.

“If we as an organization want to continue the good work that we’ve been doing it only makes sense to have a stronger partner,” Bryant said.

Baystate, on the other hand, will be able to reach out further into Westfield and surrounding communities, while also having more capacity. Baystate’s Springfield facilities are often full, and having Noble as a partner will allow for more individual care, Chalke said.    

The deal has entered a period of review and due diligence, so it will be months before a final decision is reached. While it is still to early to know how the logistic will play out should the affiliation be approved, patients and staff on both sides have received the news well, according to Chalke and Bryant.

“The reaction from our patients, community, physicians, employees has been nothing but positive. There has been lot of good work at Noble Hospital,” Bryant said. “We’re trending in the right direction with the service we provide. Everybody views this as a positive thing to build upon what we’ve already done and make Noble Hospital even stronger … I think this is the best thing, the right thing at the right time for community of Westfield and Noble Hospital”

Chalke added that because of the work between both Noble and Baystate, no one has been taken aback by the announcement.

“We’ve heard all very positive reactions from the community in Springfield and Westfield,” Chalke said. “I think it’s a relationship that is viewed very favorably. It’s a natural fit. I don’t think it was major surprise to anyone.”