State Approves Merger Of Parent Of Big Peabody Employer

PEABODY, MA -- Massachusetts public health officials on Wednesday approved the merger of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lahey Health. According to state data, Lahey Medical Center in Peabody is the city's 10th largest employer and has between 250 and 500 employees. Lahey also operates Beverly Hospital, which has a staff of more than 600 physicians and a service area covering 13 communities.

Wednesday's approval by the Massachusetts Public Health Council was a crucial step forward in one of the largest proposed healthcare mergers in state history. The state Health Policy Commission and Attorney General Maura Healey still need to approve the merger. The Department of Public Health approved the merger in March.

While the combined healthcare system would be better able to compete with Partners HealthCare, critics have raised concerns that the merger will increase healthcare costs in the state.

Lahey Medical Center in Peabody has 243 practicing physicians across 46 specialties. The center serves more than 800 outpatients each day and includes a 10-bed hospital. It's not clear what impact the merger would have on staffing or patient services at Lahey Medical Center in Peabody or Beverly Hospital.

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Photo by Lahey Health.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).