Mt. Pleasant-area locals wonder how Excela, Butler intended merger will impact Frick Hospital

As a merger between the Excela and Butler health systems is pursued, those in the Mt. Pleasant area are unsure how the intended merger will affect the local Excela Frick Hospital, but many wish for a positive outcome.

“Mergers can go either way,” Mt. Pleasant Mayor Diane Bailey said. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.”

The two health systems announced June 1 the intent to merge. Excela would bring three hospitals, and Butler would carry two into the merger.

The combined system is expected to generate more than $1 billion in revenue, employ 7,300 people and have more than 1,000 physicians and practitioners to serve about 750,000 people in Butler, Clarion and Westmoreland counties.

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In 2004, Mt. Pleasant’s Frick Hospital joined two other area hospitals to create Excela. The 120-year-old hospital has 33 beds, provides outpatient services, emergency care, general acute care and surgery.

Frick and Mt. Pleasant Area School District are the two biggest employers in Mt. Pleasant, according to Bailey. Excela spokesman Tom Chakurda said Frick employs about 300 people.

Bailey described the hospital and its emergency room as “essentially important” to locals and the economy.

“If we lose the hospital, it will definitely impact the economy in this borough,” Bailey said. “If they plan to expand, we would welcome that with open arms. You can never have enough medical services and never employ enough local people who are in that field.”

Excela could not comment on the impact a potential merger would have on Frick, Chakurda said.

“Given that our recent announcement regarded simply a letter of intent with Butler to explore a merger, it would be highly speculative and inappropriate to comment on the impact an eventual partnership would have on any aspect of our system’s current operations,” he wrote via email.

The intent to merge comes after Excela saw a $10.5 million loss in nine months ending March 31. Similarly, Butler reported an $8.2 million loss in the third quarter of fiscal year 2022.

Frick’s impact and history

Charlotte Carrabotta said Frick has been her hospital of choice for 30 years — despite a hike to get there. Carrabotta used to live in Scottdale, but now she drives roughly 45 minutes from her Rockwood residence.

“The care is exceptional,” Carrabotta said. “(Frick) is definitely an asset (to the community).”

Carrabotta envisions a merger “won’t make a difference” in the hospital’s services.

Sue Pritts of Dawson believes a merger would be “a good thing” for Excela and Butler, where her son works.

Pritts added Frick plays a big role in Mt. Pleasant and the surrounding area. It is important for the community to have a hospital with a variety of services nearby, she said.

Frick used to offer more services, though. Loretta Uhrinek, a retired Frick employee and former vice president of the hospital’s union chapter, recalled Frick boasted 160 beds in 2003, a year before the creation of Excela.

Uhrinek of Connellsville worked at the hospital for 38 years. When Excela entered the picture, Uhrinek said, Frick “changed for the worse.”

She recalled Excela cut back on staff and “swamped” the remaining employees with work.

“We would give it our all up there, but they wanted more, more and more,” she said. “They didn’t care how hard we were working.”

The year before the merger, Frick, Westmoreland Hospital and Latrobe Hospital all reported losses. Within the next fiscal year, Excela reported a $4.4 million profit.

From Uhrinek’s perspective, however, health system higher-ups cared primarily about “the bottom line.”

Uhrinek described a “mass exodus” of older Frick employees from the health system after Excela was created.

Despite this, she stressed, former employees still care about their “small, community hospital.”

“We still love Frick,” she said. “That’s our hospital.”

Bailey hopes Excela considers that the community “doesn’t want to see a lot of change” in Frick if the merger takes place.

“The merger could be good for the Butler area, but I hope it doesn’t impact our hospital unless it gives us more doctors and specialists,” Bailey said.