By HFT Staff

BJC HealthCare of St. Louis and Saint Luke's Health System of Kansas City announced they have signed a non-binding letter of intent to form an integrated, academic, Missouri-based health system capable of expanding health care access to patient care for more than six million residents in Missouri and beyond. The letter of intent was unanimously approved by both health systems’ Boards of Directors.  

With approximately $10 billion in revenue, the organizations are coming together to advance their vision of becoming the Midwest destination for patient care, clinical research and medical education and the region’s place to work and practice medicine. The health systems, which operate the top three hospitals in Missouri according to U.S. News & World Report, serve distinct geographic markets.  

The organizations are working toward reaching a definitive agreement in the coming months. Closing, which is subject to regulatory review and the receipt of customary approvals, is expected to occur by the end of 2023. 

Upon closing, the integrated health system will continue to serve BJC and Saint Luke’s distinct markets, maintain their existing brands, and operate from dual headquarters—one in St. Louis serving eastern Missouri and southern Illinois and one in Kansas City serving western Missouri and portions of Kansas.