Our Exciting Journey
We at St. Luke’s are proud to be a well-respected health system with a history of high-quality clinical care, exceptional patient experience, personal attention and community service that we must maintain in a challenging economic healthcare environment.
At the same time, the demands of healthcare delivery and our communities’ needs are changing rapidly, with rising costs, pressures on the workforce and essential needs for technology and infrastructure reshaping what it takes to deliver high-quality care.
To ensure we are prepared to continue to meet the needs of our patients now and for years to come, St. Luke’s administration and Board of Directors have been proactive and intentional in exploring potential paths that could best enhance and strengthen St. Luke’s for the future.
After a deliberate and thorough evaluation process, St. Luke’s has decided to pursue the opportunity to join BJC Health. St. Luke’s and BJC have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to allow for exclusive discussions as we work toward a definitive agreement.
View the Joint Press Release
Click HereWhy BJC
As we evaluated our many options, we were guided by the same fundamental questions: What makes St. Luke’s special? Who shares our commitment to patients and quality? What organization can bring new capabilities needed for the future? BJC emerged as the organization most closely aligned with our priorities.
St. Luke’s and BJC are committed to:
- Advancing access to highly specialized care across the communities and region we collectively serve.
- Strengthening clinical quality and patient satisfaction by combining expertise in academic and community medicine.
- Supporting recruitment and retention of team members, physicians and advanced practice providers.
- Adding technology resources, including new clinical technology and equipment to support our health care professionals.
- Enhancing access to capital to support facilities, infrastructure, technology and growth initiatives.
Together, we believe we can strengthen patient care in the communities we serve and improve in ways we could not easily do on our own.
What this means for patients and our community
Patients will continue to see their providers, and access services and appointments as scheduled. Insurance coverage is not changing, and patients can continue to access and use the mystlukes patient portal as they usually do.
We are committed to sharing timely updates with our patients and community as the work progresses. We recognize the importance of this moment in our history, and we appreciate your continued support.
What’s Next
While the LOI is an important step, it is certainly not the final one. Over the coming months, St. Luke’s and BJC will move through the standard review process, work toward a definitive agreement and complete the required regulatory approvals. We will continue to keep our patients and community informed.
FAQs
- Why are we doing this now? What led to this decision?
The demands of healthcare delivery are changing rapidly and while we have navigated these changes to the best of our abilities – such as rising costs, pressures on the workforce and growing demands for technology – our administration and Board of Directors have been proactive and intentional in exploring every path that could best enhance and strengthen St. Luke’s for the future, including the possibility of partnering with another organization. - How long will this process take?
The next phase in the process could take several months and will require regulatory review, and additional Board approvals before anything is complete. - What are our goals?
Throughout the exploration process, the priorities have remained clear: protect our mission and preserve the exceptional experience patients deserve and expect from us. In BJC, we believe we have found a strategic partner that shares these priorities. - What does this mean for patients and the community? Will BJC's ongoing negotiations with insurance companies affect St. Luke's patients?
Our priority, as always, continues to be providing exceptional patient care. Patients will continue to access the services and care team they know and trust. This announcement does not change insurance coverage, and patients can continue to access and use the mystlukes patient portal and pay their bills as they usually do. - What does this mean for donors?
This does not change the local philanthropic focus of St. Luke’s. All donations made to St. Luke’s will continue to be used for St. Luke’s and efforts to serve our communities. - What happens next?
Over the coming months, both organizations will move through the standard review process, complete the required regulatory approvals and work toward a definitive agreement. - How can I learn more?
We are committed to sharing more information here as it is available. Check back for updates on our process and next steps.