FHN Memorial Hospital is at 1045 W Stephenson St. in Freeport. The health care company announced Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, that it plans to merge with Mercyhealth. (Photo provided by FHN)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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FREEPORT — FHN will officially become Mercyhealth FHN on Thursday after the Illinois Attorney General signed off on the affiliation, the health care provider announced on Wednesday.
The Freeport-based independent health care system approved an affiliation agreement in fall with Mercyhealth. It said the goal was to preserve and continue FHN’s legacy of providing health care in northwest Illinois for more than 120 years.
The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved the affiliation in November.
“(Mercyhealth) saw a lot of potential to grow their market share, but also to grow FHN’s potential — our services and our people, and our own market share,” FHN President and CEO Mark Gridley said in a news release. “They saw the potential to grow FHN and Mercyhealth as a regional medical center, not just keep the doors open, but invest in improving local health care.”
FHN said the affiliation will come with changes in leadership to its executive team. The company thanked Gridley, Chief Human Resource Director Len Carter, CFO Mike Clark, and Executive VP/CNO/COO Kathy Martinez for their contributions that “helped position the organization for a strong future as Mercyhealth FHN.”
FHN said the affiliation was a proactive measure to ensure its long-term future. The merger allows it to benefit from greater economies of scale, resulting in cost savings that can be used to expand services, improve patient care and upgrade facilities in FHN’s service area, the company said.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas