The integration of Logan Health and Billings Clinic was made official on Friday with Dr. Craig Lambrecht leading the new health care system as chief executive officer.

In an email sent to employees on Sept. 1, Lambrecht said the work of marrying the two organizations will take time. Starting this week, work groups from both organizations will begin mapping out integration strategies. There are separate workgroups for people, patients, integration, finance, information technology, compliance, philanthropy and education/research.

Former Billings Clinic CEO Dr. Clint Seger will be the chief physician executive of the new health care system, which remains without a formal name.

The integration of Logan Health and Billings Clinic was announced in February. As of May, the two health care organizations had sent necessary filings to the Federal Trade Commission.

Lambrecht said in the email that employees and medical staff will benefit from the scale of the organization, which will create more opportunities long-term through sharing best practices, advancing quality and safety and “supporting initiatives that neither organization could support on its own.”

Brad Schipper, chief operating officer for Logan Health, will serve in the same capacity with the new health care system. Ellen Layton, who served as chief legal officer for Billings Clinic, will take on the role of chief administrative officer. Cole Turner, chief financial officer of Logan Health, will continue on in that role with the integrated organization.

The Logan Health network includes the main campus in Kalispell and Logan Health Whitefish, as well as four other hospitals and more than 68 provider clinics. The organization, formerly known as Kalispell Regional Healthcare, employs more than 4,500 clinical and nonclinical workers across its properties.

Billings Clinic is Montana’s largest independent health system, according to the press release. The system is affiliated with 18 hospitals and clinics in Montana and Wyoming, with more than 4,700 employees.

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing [email protected].