News Photo by Mike Gonzalez Two individuals walk into the entrance of MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena on Thursday.

ALPENA — MyMichigan Health, the Midland-based owner of the Alpena hospital, has signed an agreement with Ascension Michigan to acquire Ascension’s Saginaw, Tawas, and Standish medical facilities and to make them a part of MyMichigan’s system.

MyMichigan Health will acquire Ascension St. Mary’s in Saginaw, Ascension St. Mary’s Towne Center, Ascension St. Joseph in Tawas, and Ascension St. Mary’s in Standish, with a total of 396 beds in all facilities.

Much like MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena’s specialized care facilities like the Cancer Center and its ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) program, which helps with the most serious type of heart attack, other MyMichigan hospitals will have specific care facilities. This could be beneficial for Alpena patients who may need to be transferred for specialized care or bring others to Alpena for its Cancer Center, for example.

Dr. Lydia Watson, president and CEO of MyMichigan Health, said that Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw has the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, which will now become a new featured facility for MyMichigan Health patients.

The transaction is expected to close this summer after third parties and other processes are finished.

“This transaction will strengthen our ability to continue caring for those communities,” Watson said. “It also increases our number of covered lives and helps us to support and sustain our tertiary programs. It strengthens us for the future and helps provide us with more operational efficiencies.”

Also, if a telemedicine option is available, patients of different MyMichigan facilities, such as the Alpena hospital, may be able to virtually visit medical professionals from the new facilities.

“We are all committed to creating a smooth transition for patients, employees, and physicians, with no disruption in services or procedures,” Watson said. “We will work together to strengthen recruitment and retention of all employees and providers to enhance the community’s access to local, quality health care. We value our workforce and look forward to welcoming new colleagues from Ascension Northern into our workforce.”

While the deal is still coming to a close, MyMichigan Health plans to select a president over the new facilities soon, with no announcement date set.

“Ascension St. Mary’s, Ascension St. Joseph, and Ascension Standish have been committed to our mission of serving all persons, with special attention to those who are most vulnerable,” said Jordan Jeon, regional president and CEO of Ascension Michigan’s Northern Region. “As a regional provider, MyMichigan Health is well positioned to carry on this legacy, serving the community through an integrated care delivery system. This transition will ensure that Saginaw, Tawas City, and Standish have sustainable, quality health care access long into the future.”

MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena President Mike Erickson declined to comment at the moment.

Those interested in more information can visit www.mymichigan.org or www.healthcare.ascension.org.