WVU Health System has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Independence Health System, advancing a transaction first announced in November and setting the stage for the deal to close in late September or early October, pending remaining regulatory approvals.

The Morgantown, West Virginia-based health system said the acquisition includes a planned $800 million investment in Independence Health System's five hospitals: Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland.

According to the organizations, the funding will support implementation of a new electronic health record system, facility upgrades and expansions, and additional clinical capabilities intended to improve access to care across western Pennsylvania.
Following the transaction, Independence Health System will become part of the WVU Health System, which operates 25 hospitals across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio. The integration is expected to strengthen regional clinical collaboration, expand specialty care access and support coordinated population health initiatives, including through Peak Health, the health system's affiliated insurance organization.

"This moment marks an important step toward Independence Health System joining our organization," Albert L. Wright Jr., president and CEO of WVU Health System, said in a statement. "Our commitment to their patients, employees, and physicians, as well as the communities their hospitals serve, is to invest in the people, programs, technology, and infrastructure that will position these hospitals for long-term success."

Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Independence Health System, said the agreement provides additional financial and clinical resources for the organization.

"This agreement secures a stronger future for our hospitals, our caregivers and the patients who depend on us," DeFurio said. "It brings the scale, capital, and clinical strength needed to protect local access to care, and positions this region for long-term growth."

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