November 09, 2023
Update: Leaders at The University of Kansas Health System and Liberty Hospital have signed and executed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to partner. For more information, visit LibertyHospital.org.
LIBERTY, Mo. – October 19 – Earlier today, the Liberty Hospital Board of Trustees voted to pursue a partnership with The University of Kansas Health System. The board’s decision maLiberty Hospital, together with The University of Kansas Health System, is pleased to provide this update: Leaders at both organizations have signed and executed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to partner. rks a major milestone in Liberty Hospital’s search for a strategic growth partner, an extensive process that began last May.
During the coming days, leaders at Liberty Hospital and The University of Kansas Health System will work together exclusively to finalize a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI). The signing of the LOI will define alignment, identify shared goals for a strong partnership and begin all remaining due diligence to determine the terms of a final agreement.
“From the outset, we focused on finding a partner who will invest in increasing access to high-quality care, offers a great cultural fit, and upholds our commitment to the community and our employees,” Raghu Adiga, MD, Liberty Hospital’s president and chief executive officer, said. “We believe The University of Kansas Health System is uniquely positioned to support us in bringing world-class clinical excellence to the Northland and northwest Missouri, making exceptional healthcare as close and convenient as it can be.”
While the specifics are still being determined, hospital leaders agree the partnership will be mutually beneficial – and most importantly, it will improve access to high-quality healthcare north of the river. Through this partnership, Liberty Hospital will have the opportunity to expand services and enhance patient experience with greater access to innovative treatments, specialists and a seamless continuum of care. As a Kansas City-based academic health system, The University of Kansas Health System will have the opportunity for a broader presence in the Northland and northwest Missouri.
Bob Page, president and chief executive officer of The University of Kansas Health System, says this is an opportunity to expand access to the leading edge of healthcare. “Liberty and the region deserve access to the highest quality care close to home. Together, we can deliver the full spectrum of care while keeping care local.”
Tammy Peterman, MS, RN, FAAN, president of the health system’s Kansas City Division, said, “We share with Liberty Hospital and its leaders a commitment to a patient-first approach focused on quality and service. Our proven ability to recruit and retain world-class talent, and the ability to partner with the Liberty Hospital medical staff and teams to expand access to groundbreaking treatments locally, will create an impact for patients and the community for generations to come.”
The immediate next step in the process is to finalize the LOI. The final agreement is expected to be announced in the coming months, as Liberty Hospital approaches its 50th anniversary celebrations in February 2024. In the meantime, all care and operations will continue as usual for both health systems; nothing is changing for Liberty Hospital patients or employees.
“A partnership of this caliber takes time to plan, but we remain committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as the process continues,” said Dennis Carter, chairman of the Liberty Hospital Board of Trustees. “We sincerely thank every health system who joined us in this exploration – extraordinary enterprises, all of them – and we look forward to the many possibilities ahead with The University of Kansas Health System.”
Liberty Hospital has been sharing updates online throughout this exploration. To follow along, visit libertyhospital.org/herewegrow.
About Liberty Hospital
Now in its 49th year of serving the health and well-being of the community, Liberty Hospital has more than 1,900 employees and 330 physicians who deliver compassionate, high-quality care using state-of-the-art technology. Liberty Hospital’s expansion in recent years includes 15 primary and specialty care clinics. Liberty Hospital recently received its fourth consecutive Grade “A” designation from Leapfrog group for patient safety. The hospital holds the unique distinction of being the only hospital in the Northland to receive Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation and is only one of four hospitals in the state to attain this accreditation in addition to Level II Time Critical Diagnosis in trauma, stroke and heart attack. Liberty Hospital is a public hospital and is a political subdivision district hospital under Chapter 206 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. It is governed by a six-member, publicly elected board of trustees who serve staggered six-year terms.
For more information, visit LibertyHospital.org.
About The University of Kansas Health System
The University of Kansas Health System is the region’s premier academic health system, providing a full range of care. It includes The University of Kansas Physicians, the region’s largest multispecialty physician group. The health system is affiliated with the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions and their leading-edge research projects. In the Kansas City metro area, the health system offers more than 140 hospital and clinic locations, including its flagship hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, a hospital at Indian Creek Campus in Overland Park, hospitals in Olathe and Miami County, and two mental and behavioral health hospitals in the Kansas City area. The health system in Kansas City has received Magnet nursing designation four times in a row for the highest level of care and has ranked every year since 2007 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals lists (best in Kansas and Kansas City). It provides the region's most experienced, nationally verified burn center and Level I Trauma Center, as well as a leading transplant program in liver, pancreas, kidney, heart, and blood and marrow. The cancer program is part of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, one of 56 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers. In addition to Kansas City metro locations, the health system has locations in Great Bend, Topeka and elsewhere. It receives no state or local appropriations, instead relying on operating revenue, bonding authority, and philanthropy.
More information about The University of Kansas Health System.