Memorial Health System acquires ownership of Merit Health Biloxi

• Kent Nicaud, President and CEO of Memorial, said the collaboration came at a pivotal time when both organizations needed to work together.

Gulfport-based Memorial Health System is acquiring full ownership of Merit Health Biloxi. The announcement came on Friday, with Memorial saying the transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

According to Memorial, the acquisition includes Merit Health’s Biloxi 153-bed hospital operations, medical office building, clinics, and two imaging centers.

Kent Nicaud, President and CEO of Memorial Health System, said in a statement that the collaboration came at a pivotal time “when both organizations needed to work together to ensure that healthcare services remained uninterrupted during an incredibly challenging period created by the global pandemic.”

He said by taking full ownership of Merit Health, Memorial can provide a more consistent experience for patients and make it easier for them to access the care they need.

“With our hospitals and clinics working under the same system, patients will experience smoother transitions between facilities, knowing they’re receiving the same high level of care no matter where they go,” Nicaud said, adding that the health system would continue to invest in facilities, technology, and growth opportunities for staff.

Memorial Health System, a not-for-profit public community hospital, has been serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast since 1946.

Memorial and Merit Health Biloxi have collaborated to enhance healthcare across the Gulf Coast through establishing regional partnerships in oncology, neurology, neuro-interventional radiology, radiology, infectious disease, and cardiology. 

Memorial Health System has included an affiliation with Merit Health Biloxi, two hospitals (Harrison and Stone Counties) licensed for 328 beds, a state-designated Level II Trauma Center, two nursing centers, four outpatient surgery centers, satellite outpatient diagnostic and rehabilitation centers, and more than 100 Memorial Physician Clinics. Memorial offers several of the region’s most comprehensive clinical programs and medical specialties unique to the area, including a Level III Neonatal ICU and Mississippi’s first nationally certified Primary Stroke Center. 

Memorial said it has no plans to discontinue any services currently provided by Merit Health Biloxi.

Nicaud said the hospitals in Gulfport and Biloxi have rich legacies and exceptional teams, “and we are excited to continue serving the region together.”

“We are fully committed to supporting our staff and ensuring they are aligned with the long-term vision of our health system,” Nicaud added. “Together, we will shape the future of healthcare on the Coast while continuing to prioritize what’s best for our patients.”