 The merger between Samford Health and the Good Samaritan Society will happen sooner than originally expected. The merger was planned to have taken place on January 1st of 2019, but that date has moved up to November 1st of this year because leaders of both organizations felt that the process to bring both groups under one umbrella could be expedited. Back on June 26th, the Good Samaritan Society overwhelmingly approved the merger with Samford Health, which would bring their 19,000 employees together with Samford Health's 28,000. When asked about a possible name change, Samford Health told Lakeland News that both entities will remain under the current titles. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.