Excela Health, Butler Health System merger finalized

GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - Excela Health and Butler Health System have finalized their merger, creating a new health system that will serve about 750,000 people. 

The organizations said the definitive agreement and other legal documentation had been sent to the state and federal government for review and the transaction was made official on Sunday.

Ken DeFurio, the former president and CEO of Butler Health System, will now lead the new organization. John Sphon, the former CEO of Excela Health, is retiring in March but will stay on with the new organization in an advisory capacity for several months and stay as a trustee.  

The new health system will have about 7,300 employees and more than 1,000 physicians and practitioners. 

DeFurio and Sphon are expected to hold a press conference in the future to detail how the new system will work. Both said while the transaction has closed, there's much work ahead after the two organizations announced their intention to merge in the summer.

A name hasn't been announced yet.