Reading-based Tower Health and two other health systems said Thursday they plan to split up their jointly owned home health care network, called Affilia Home Health.
The split, which takes effect Jan. 1, is being described as amicable.
The reorganization is not expected to affect any jobs and care for patients will continue without interruptions, according to a news release.
“We have worked well with our partners in Affilia Home Health, LG Health/Penn Medicine and UPMC Pinnacle,” Clint Matthews, president and CEO of Tower Health, said in a statement. “Our decision to leave reflects the different ways in which each organization seeks to meet its individual goals.”
LG Health and Reading Hospital & Medical Center, the forerunner to Tower Health, merged their home health services in 2003. PinnacleHealth, now UPMC Pinnacle, joined in 2012. The group took the Affilia name in 2014.
Each system will continue to offer home health care, but under different brands.
Tower Health will retain the Affilia employees in its service area and rebrand its home health service under the name Tower Health at Home. Home Health Care Management, which includes Berks VNA, Pottstown VNA and Advantage Home Care, will become part of Tower Health at Home.
“For Tower Health, this action expands our ability to find ways of better managing the health care needs of the communities we serve,” Matthews said in a statement.
Tower Health said it will work with all parties to create a seamless transition.
UPMC will rebrand is home health services as UPMC Home Healthcare of Central Pennsylvania. It will retain Affilia employees serving its Harrisburg-based service area.
Lancaster-based LG Health will retain the Affiilia name and Affilia employees in its service area. LG Health was the managing partner for Affilia.
“Employers and payers value health systems that are able to provide a more coordinated network of care for patients across the continuum,” Tammy Ober, vice president of operations for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, said in a statement.
