State approves Guthrie affiliation with Cortland Regional Medical Center

From left, New York State Sen. James Seward, Cortland Regional Medical Center President and CEO Mark Webster, and Jeff Seibert, vice chair of the hospital's board of trustees, announcing a potential affiliation between Cortland Regional Medical Center and The Guthrie Clinic on Sept. 27, 2017 (Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)

CORTLAND, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Public Health (NYSDOH) and the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) approved an affiliation between The Guthrie Clinic and Cortland Regional Medical Center, officials announced Thursday.

The potential affiliation was first announced in October 2016. In September 27, CRMC President and CEO Mark Webster announced that the hospital's board of trustees unanimously voted to have the hospital become a member of the Guthrie clinic.

Webster said that the hospital had considered offers from other health care organizations. He also stated that Guthrie committed to forego reductions at the hospital for the next decade and to invest $41 million in new infrastructure improvements to the hospital.

"Guthrie is excited to be expanding our services to a new hospital and new community, providing enhanced care to more patients," CRMC said in a press release.

Guthrie owns and operates Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Penn.; Guthrie Corning Hospital in Corning; Towanda Hospital in Towanda, Penn.; and the Guthrie Troy Community Hospital in Troy, N.Y., among others.

A joint press conference hosted by Guthrie and Cortland Regional Medical Center will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the hospital at 134 Homer Ave., Cortland, N.Y.

Leadership from both institutions plan to share "details about plans and timelines moving forward," the hospital said in a media release.