SEAFORD, Del.- Nanticoke Health Services, based in Seaford, Del., has announced that after an in-depth, 18-month search process, it has chosen to affiliate with Peninsula Regional Health System. The affiliation will work to continue the delivery of quality care and enhance medical services for the residents of Sussex County, according to officials.

“For more than 65 years, Nanticoke’s singular mission has been to provide for the healthcare needs of the western Sussex communities. This mission has not and will not change. However, we recognize that healthcare is rapidly evolving. Building a stronger healthcare system will be necessary to continue to provide quality care for patients and to enhance what the Nanticoke team and our community have built together,” said Steve Rose, RN, MN, president and CEO of Nanticoke Health Services. “Over the past 18 months, the Nanticoke Health Services Board of Directors evaluated multiple organizations and concluded Peninsula Regional is well equipped to help us accomplish this goal. Additionally, we share a similar culture and commitment to community. Combined, our two organizations will create a strong healthcare system for the Delmarva Peninsula.”

The first step will be to sign a letter of intent between the two organizations. It enables the organizations to begin formal due diligence discussions and formulate a definitive agreement for affiliation. Together the two organizations will work to continually improve quality, expand access to services, enhance patient experience and support the overall community health and wellness for our patients across Delmarva.

“PRHS and Nanticoke look forward to exploring integration and how best to provide care to the communities we serve,” said PRHS President/CEO Steven Leonard, MBA, FACHE. “We are honored to have been selected by Nanticoke in this process. Peninsula Regional has a strong history of providing high-quality care to the entire region. Our efforts have been focused on enhancing the quality of our complex, hospital-based services while improving access and the health of our communities. Our Board of Trustees, and our entire healthcare team, is looking forward to welcoming Nanticoke to the PRHS family.”

Nanticoke Health Services has been providing patient-focused care to Sussex County since 1952. Today, it includes a 99-bed inpatient unit, outpatient diagnostic and therapy services with several locations throughout the county. Nanticoke also includes the Nanticoke Physician Network, a group of more than 60 employed physicians and healthcare providers as well as three immediate care locations. For more information about Nanticoke Health Services, visit www.nanticoke.org.

Peninsula Regional Health System offers a wide array of specialty and subspecialty services. At the heart of PRHS is Peninsula Regional Medical Center. PRMC was established in 1897, has 288 acute care beds and is the eighth largest hospital in Maryland. For more information about Peninsula Regional Health Systems, visit www.peninsula.org.