SALISBURY, MD – TidalHealth and Atlantic General Hospital have announced the completion of their merger agreement which has been in the works for months.
Collectively, the two organizations which have now become one under the Salisbury, Md.-based TidalHealth umbrella, employ around 6,000 people thanks to the merger, according to TidalHealth Director of Strategic Communications Roger Follebout, Jr.
The merger was formally announced in December 2024, and, at the time, leaders expected it to be finalized around the summer pending regulatory and board approvals.
“We’re better together. . . I think this is an exciting opportunity for the community. We have a growth mindset, and we think it’s important – it’s hard to go alone,” Atlantic General Health System President and CEO Don Owrey told the Delaware Business Times last year. “There’s a saying, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go farther, go with someone,’ I think is how that goes and it’s true for us.”
Leaders say the move will work to expand health care access for residents in the Delmarva Penisula, as well as more employment opportunities for the health care workers involved in either system.
Atlantic General Hospital and its affiliated providers and facilities are based in Berlin, Md. It has been in operation for more than 32 years. Atlantic General’s hospital boasts 62 beds and serves more than 58,000 residents in its geographical area, expanding opportunities in recent years as Berlin has significantly grown in the last two decades as a suburb of Ocean City.
TidalHealth has also seen expansion in recent years as it continues to evolve in the Delmarva area, particularly in Sussex County which is Delaware’s fastest growing county and its oldest by age. The organization, formerly known as Peninsula Regional Health System, acquired Nanticoke Memorial Hospital in Seaford in 2020 and rebranded to its current name.
On its own before the newest merger, TidalHealth employed 300 providers in 24 specialties over 30 different locations that spanned the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Sussex County in Delaware.
“Healthcare systems are more frequently coming together to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving environment. We are proud to now have officially partnered with an organization that has very similar philosophies and beliefs, and together we will be working throughout the region to improve health and wellness across the continuum of care,” TidalHealth CEO Dr. Steve Leonard said in a press release. “We continue to look for partners on this journey and are excited about the opportunities to positively impact additional lives through the growth that will follow.”
No immediate changes in staffing or the delivery of health care at either system are anticipated, according to TidalHealth representatives. Atlantic General facilities and groups will continue to hold onto its Atlantic General branding.
The merger will also facilitate the use of EPIC, an electronic medical record system, in Atlantic General’s practices to create a seamless record keeping system between the two groups as the transition period continues.
“As part of TidalHealth, Atlantic General will retain its community-focused approach to care while gaining access to the resources and capabilities of a larger healthcare network,” Atlantic General Hospital President Don Owrey said in the press release.
“This affiliation ensures that patients across Worcester and Sussex Counties continue to receive the personalized care they expect from their local hospital and providers, backed by the strength and added capability of TidalHealth. This is an exciting new chapter for Atlantic General and for healthcare on Delmarva, and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on our patients and families,” he continued.
