By HFT Staff

Baptist Memorial Health Care, which is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and Anderson Regional Health System (ARHS), located in Meridian, Mississippi, have signed a shared mission agreement with plans to formally merge in January 2024.  

Baptist Memorial is a not-for-profit health system that operates 22 hospitals across West Tennessee, Mississippi and East Arkansas. It is the largest health system in Mississippi and the state's fourth largest employer. 

Baptist Memorial and Anderson share a similar foundation, with each having a long-standing history of community-based health care. Baptist Memorial started in 1912 with one hospital in downtown Memphis, and it is now one of the nation's largest not-for-profit health systems. Anderson first opened in 1928 as a 30-bed infirmary and is now a comprehensive regional health system serving East Mississippi and West Alabama. With this partnership, Baptist Memorial will serve more than half of Mississippi's population. 

After merging with Baptist Memorial, Anderson will maintain operations with local leadership, and patients will continue receiving care close to home.