SAN DIEGO — Children’s HealthCare of California, the parent company of Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), and Rady Children’s Hospital and Health Center, the parent company of Rady Children Hospital-San Diego (Rady Children’s), have entered into an agreement to merge CHOC and Rady Children’s under a single parent entity called Rady Children’s Health.
The merger is building on decades of collaboration and clinical research between the two healthcare systems to build an advanced pediatric health system.
“CHOC and Rady Children’s – both nationally recognized for clinical excellence and compassionate care – have put forward a shared vision that puts children and their families first, ensuring them access to the very best practitioners, treatments, and technology available in pediatric medicine,” Rady Children’s Board of Trustees Chair Paul Hering said.
In a press release, Rady Children's Hospital said the merger will help them, "improve patient outcomes in Southern California; accelerate research and innovation that lead to new treatments and cures; retain and attract top talent across all functions and specialties; increase access to pediatric care; promote health equity; and train the next generation of pediatric physicians and health care workers."
Both hospitals said they remain focused on the communities they serve and will maintain separate medical staff as well as governing boards.
CHOC and Rady Children's Hospital have been collaborating on medical initiatives for over a decade on projects including Baby Bear, rapid Whole Genome Sequencing (rWGS), rapid diagnoses of rare infant diseases, and the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative grant.
“CHOC and Rady Children’s have similar missions and visions and complementary cultures focused on innovation and a dynamic history of collaboration that has enhanced children’s health in our communities,” CHOC Board of Directors Chair Doug McCombs said.
The merger still has to undergo customary regulatory review.
The transaction is expected to close in 2024.