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Trinity Health and CommonSpirit Health announced Tuesday they have signed an agreement for Trinity Health to acquire all facilities and assets of MercyOne, a regional health system based in Iowa.

Since 1998, MercyOne has operated under a joint operating agreement between not-for-profit Catholic health care organizations Trinity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives, which is now CommonSpirit, according to a press release.

MercyOne is a leading health system in Iowa and serves more than 3.3 million patients each year. The system includes 16 medical centers, 27 affiliate organizations and more than 420 care sites offering a range of health and wellness services, including provider services and urgent care, and more than 20,000 colleagues including 2,000 of the state’s most talented doctors and providers.

“True to our shared Catholic mission, our goal is to provide high-quality, compassionate care with the best patient/member experience possible. We will accomplish that goal through a holistic approach, with a range of health services and technologies that are fully connected and coordinated,” said Mike Slubowski, president and chief executive officer at Trinity Health. “This agreement creates a fully integrated MercyOne to care for more people in a unified way.”

After months of analysis and due diligence, Trinity Health and CommonSpirit determined a sole parent is the best path forward for MercyOne and for the communities it serves. Trinity Health, a national health system spanning 25 states, will bring unified strategies and operations to MercyOne’s care sites, including one set of system services.

As an example, MercyOne will transition to Trinity Health’s common platforms, including a single electronic health record (EHR), ultimately allowing patients to easily manage their care across all MercyOne services and facilities. The result is a more convenient and consistent care experience for MercyOne’s communities.

“After two decades of successful collaboration, we are immensely proud of our partnership with Trinity Health and our efforts to advance health care statewide,” said Marvin O’Quinn, president and chief operating officer at CommonSpirit Health. “While the current structure has been instrumental in growing our health care services in Iowa, we believe this decision is ultimately what is best for our patients, colleagues, and our communities.”

“We strongly believe this transition to become a full member of the Trinity Health family will result in a stronger, more cohesive health system better able to offer a convenient and personalized circle of care for all we serve,” said Bob Ritz, president and chief executive officer at MercyOne. “We are delighted to have the agreement in place as we plan for the future of our mission. We are grateful to CommonSpirit for more than 20 years of partnership.”

Trinity Health and CommonSpirit will now plan for integration, complete regulatory filings, and take other steps necessary to finalize the transaction, which is expected to be completed summer 2022. This process will be seamless for the communities MercyOne serves, and patients can continue to expect the same compassionate care they have always received, the press release stated.