*UPDATE*
On Thursday, May 29, at the open, public session of the Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting, the Board unanimously voted to move forward with an exclusive partnership with Sharp HealthCare, a highly respected nonprofit healthcare leader in Southern California.
This decision follows months of exploration, community input, medical staff engagement, and strategic planning. At the heart of every discussion has been you—our community—and the patients and families we serve.
Why This Matters
Tri-City hospital has served this community faithfully for 64 years. While the District is poised to close the fiscal year with its most successful year in decades, the reality is that the healthcare landscape has changed dramatically. In order to ensure that this critical asset is capable of meeting the needs of an aging and growing population for the next 64 years while simultaneously positioned to expand services and access to care, a long-term partnership is in the best interest of the residents of North County.
Sharp Healthcare is the County’s largest health system, provides care to every aspect of our community including 38% of the County’s Medi-Cal beneficiaries, a committed partner for seniors and MediCare Advantage, possesses an incomparable reputation in women’s health through Sharp Mary Birch, a legacy of commitment to supporting regional community hospitals such as Grossmont and Coronado, a history of delivering not only world class care but also, world class caring called the Sharp Experience, a notable managed care infrastructure, and the region’s only integrated health plan and California’s top rated health plan.
Sharp also shares our values:
clinical excellence, community connection, and expanding local access to primary care and specialists.
Through this partnership, we will:
- Preserve our mission as a community hospital
- Expand and enhance local services
- Invest in modern technology and systems
- Support and retain our dedicated workforce
This is truly a transformational step forward towards building North County’s flagship medical campus.
What’s Next
We are entering a period of exclusive due diligence with Sharp HealthCare to collaboratively develop a formal Letter of Intent. It is anticipated that this will take three to six months. Following this, voter approval is required to finalize the agreement.
What You Can Expect
- A strong commitment to transparency
- Opportunities for questions and feedback through multiple public forums and town hall meetings
- A shared focus on what matters most: our community
Thank You
Through this partnership, we are investing in a stronger future for our teams and everyone who walks through our doors.
We’ll continue to keep you informed starting with a series of public meetings and town halls. A complete schedule of local meetings will be listed here shortly.
Tri-City Medical Center is your community hospital, and your community hospital will need your input now more than ever. 64 years ago, residents of this region had the foresight to recognize that a community hospital is essential to the vitality of the region. Today, residents of this District will once again be asked to lay a foundation of health for generations of North County residents to come.
Oceanside, CA – In response to evolving market dynamics and the growing challenges faced by independent hospitals, the Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors in 2023 authorized a formal process to explore potential affiliations with regional health systems. The Board outlined a series of strategic objectives and goals to guide this process, including:
- Ensuring long-term sustainability of the District
- Expanding access to primary and specialty care locally
- Securing capital and infrastructure investment to enhance services
- Achieving economies of scale to reduce costs and improve community value
- Broadening access to specialty care and improving care coordination
- Restoring advanced specialty services, such as women’s and newborn care
- Continuously enhancing quality and health outcomes
- Investing in next-generation technologies and innovation
- Meeting community needs by providing best-in-class care close to home
UC San Diego Health was initially selected as a potential long-term partner. However, following an extensive due diligence process and shared goals, the parties were unable to reach a consensus on definitive terms.
The District subsequently engaged Juniper Advisory, a nationally recognized investment banking firm specializing in not-for-profit healthcare mergers and acquisitions, to conduct a national search for a strategic partner. The process, guided by Juniper’s proven methodologies, includes three key phases:
- Situational Assessment – A thorough review of regional and national healthcare markets, coupled with stakeholder engagement involving community members, employees, medical staff, labor unions, elected officials, and management.
- Partner Input – Distribution of a detailed information memorandum to potential partners, supported by a secure data room and instruction letters to facilitate a transparent, competitive evaluation process.
- Transaction Phase – Finalist health systems have submitted Phase II proposals detailing their vision and partnership terms. These proposals will be reviewed by the Board of Directors to determine which partner best meets the District’s strategic objectives.
The District has now officially entered the Transaction Phase, with Phase II finalist proposals scheduled to be presented at a public Board of Directors meeting on May 29, 2025.
Public Meeting Invitation
Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2025
Time: 3:30 PM
Location: Tri-City Medical Center, Assembly Rooms
Address: 4002 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82224612168?pwd=K0UhEmk2mqsjBQQQFZyT1HAbl93dbn.1
Meeting ID: 822 2461 2168
Passcode: 059402
This meeting provides an opportunity for Board members and community stakeholders to hear directly from the finalist organizations and understand their proposed partnership visions. Following the presentations, the Board may request additional information or proceed with selecting a single finalist to move forward with a Letter of Intent.
About Tri-City Healthcare District:
The Tri-City Healthcare District is committed to providing high-quality, accessible healthcare services to the North County community. Through strategic partnerships and innovation, the District seeks to ensure that residents continue to receive exceptional care close to home.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Paroly
Director of Marketing
760-940-3370
