State OKs Western Reserve Hospital Partners to operate at Summa location

AKRON, Ohio – Summa Health System and Western Reserve Hospital Partners cleared the final regulatory hurdle that will let Western Reserve, a for-profit organization, to operate at the non-profit Summa Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital.

Western Reserve will take over operations on June 24.

Summa announced in January the plan to give Western Reserve control of the hospital, which will be known as Summa Western Reserve Hospital. The two organizations will then start working on a new 100-bed facility built in the area by 2011.

The organizations received approval from the state Attorney General’s office so a for-profit operation could operate at the facility.

The Akron Beacon Journal said the Western Reserve-Summa deal is the latest example of Summa’s strategy to jointly own and operate facilities with local physicians. It noted last month’s partnership to operate orthopedic programs with Crystal Clinic.