BLOOMINGTON - Physicians and staff of Carle Clinic Association in Bloomington-Normal would become part of the OSF Healthcare System if a proposal is approved by both organizations. | Carle suspends children's cancer program in Urbana

Carle and OSF representatives have signed a letter of intent to explore the feasibility of Carle Clinic-Bloomington/Normal, 1701 E. College Ave., Bloomington, becoming a part of the OSF Healthcare System.

Carle patients may continue their current relationships with their physicians and other health care providers at Carle Clinic, representatives of Carle and OSF said.

"Current discussions would allow for complete retention of staff, facilities and services so there would be no disruption of care to our patients," said Carle Clinic spokeswoman Jennifer Hendricks Kaufmann.

Whether the Carle-OSF transition will be approved by both sides was unclear Thursday. Both OSF and Carle representatives emphasized that negotiations are beginning and details must be worked out. Sue Necessary, spokeswoman for OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington, said the transaction may be finalized during the next several months.

Both sides sought to reassure Carle patients.

"Patients of Carle Clinic associates in Bloomington-Normal will still be able to continue their current relationships with their respective providers because all physicians, mid-level providers (such as nurse-practitioners and physician assistants) and staff are being invited to join OSF Healthcare System," Necessary said.

About 38,000 patients have been to the clinic within the past year but that is a fraction of the clinic's total number of active patients, said Dr. Les Mathers, the clinic's chief medical officer. Carle is the largest multi-specialty clinic in McLean County.

Negotiations involve not only physicians and staff but the equipment and building on College Avenue, Necessary said.

Why each side is considering Carle becoming a part of OSF is a question that neither side would answer on Thursday.

Mathers said "We're a very democratic organization of clinicians, and I want our doctors to analyze and make judgments without outside coaching."

He said the proposal had nothing to do with cuts at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. "The cuts (at the Urbana hospital) don't correlate in any way, shape or form" to the Bloomington clinic negotiations.

Carle doctors were reluctant to comment on Thursday as they considered their options.

"There's the classic, possibility-of-change reaction that anyone has," Mathers said. But overall, doctors and staff members were positive and eager for more details and information, Mathers said.

Roger Hunt, chief executive officer of BroMenn Healthcare, said BroMenn had expressed interest in acquiring Carle Clinic but that BroMenn has not been involved in the current negotiations. He said BroMenn intends to have discussions with Carle physicians "to explore alternative options.

"We have a long relationship with Carle Clinic-Bloomington/Normal that includes several joint ventures and (Carle's) management of our hospitalist program," Hunt said. Hospitalists are hospital-based doctors.

Hunt believes that the primary reason for the letter of intent is Carle's need to comply with changes in Federal Stark Laws that take effect Oct. 1, 2009.

Carle is owned by its doctors and those doctors may have a financial stake in some services to which they refer patients at Carle. That referral may be perceived as a conflict of interest and out of compliance with the new law, Hunt said.

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Carle Clinic facts

• A physician-owned, multi-specialty clinic that is part of Urbana-based Carle Clinic Association. It operates as an independent branch.

• Thirty-seven physicians work at the clinic. Including advanced-practice staff, licensed staff members and other employees, about 230 people work there.

• Carle Clinic opened in 1983 at 108 Boeykens Place, Normal, with one family practice physician. The clinic expanded to 1607 Visa Drive in 1985. In 1993, the clinic moved to its new building at 1701 E. College Ave., Bloomington. In 1999, the clinic opened an addition that more than doubled the clinic's size to 103,000 square feet.

SOURCES: Pantagraph files, Carle Clinic