Medical Properties Trust and Steward Health Care have agreed to who will run the two Valley hospitals while they finalize ownership.

Insight Health Systems will take over Trumbull Regional and Hillside Hospital at midnight tonight. The new operators' Insight are expected to be inside those hospitals on Thursday, starting that transition process.

Insight will take over and have interim managers inside the facility working with Steward management. The agreement states the intent to purchase the hospital outright in the future from MPT and Steward.

21 News caught up with Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko about this latest development with Frenchko telling us she's going to challenge Insight to continue to make sure the community's needs are met.

"We as a community want a hospital operator that's going to make sure that our community's needs are met, that our doctors are getting paid, that their staff is getting paid, and that their doors are going to stay open," Frenchko said.

21 News reached out to other elected officials and union representatives for comment as well. Those who got back to us told us it was too soon to comment.

Insight released the following statement on its acquisition of the hospitals:

“At Insight Health System, we recognize the undo stress and unease activities over the last several months have caused members of the Warren community and surrounding areas who have been in limbo wondering how they will get medical care or whether they will still have a job if these facilities close."

“While our immediate goal is to keep the doors of Trumbull and Hillside open for patients and staff, we will assess all aspects of those facilities’ operations in the coming weeks to identify sensible pathways to stabilize operations to ensure these organizations can meet the needs of the communities they serve for generations to come.”  

According to a press release from Insight, once the company takes over the hospitals, the emergency department, as well as other critical service lines will remain open, but other medical service lines may temporarily be suspended until patient safety can fully be validated.

During this time, some patients may transferred to the nearby Saint Joseph's Hospital as part of an agreement between the two institutions.

Insight Health Systems was founded in 2008 and is based out of Flint, Michigan.

According to the court filing, Insight specializes in underserved markets like Warren and Trumbull County. Insight currently owns five healthcare centers in Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa. Trumbull Regional and Hillside will be the healthcare providers' first hospitals that Insight owns in Ohio.

The healthcare company is no stranger to stepping in to revive a hospital. In early 2021, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago was owned by Trinity Health when it hit financial troubles and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Trinity was threatening to close the hospital and reduced services including turning away ambulances and only accepting walk-ins to the Emergency Room. In April of 2021, Insight bought the hospital for $1 and named it the Insight Hospital & Medical Center Chicago. It continues to operate at full service.

During the court hearing this morning from Houston Bankruptcy court, it was announced that Meadville Medical Center was proceeding with its purchase of Sharon Regional, and they are very close to a deal and will continue operating in good faith agreement until final.