Helix/Medlantic, the seven-hospital health system created by the merger in May of Baltimore and Washington systems, will open headquarters early next year in Columbia.

John P. McDaniel, chief executive of the merged system, said about 80 employees will work at the corporate headquarters, which will occupy 25,000 square feet in the Clark Building, 5665 Sterrett Place.

McDaniel said the system would keep as much decision-making as possible at each facility "and keep it very thin at the corporate level."

Helix, in Green Spring Station, and Medlantic, on the campus of Washington Hospital Center in the District of Columbia, will retain smaller regional offices. Helix has about 70 headquarters' employees and Medlantic has about 40, McDaniel said. Some employees from each headquarters will move to Columbia. No employees will be added to create the corporate staff, McDaniel said, and no one will be laid off.

Helix/Medlantic has 2,100 employees and annual revenue of $1.4 billion. The system's Baltimore-area hospitals are Church, Franklin Square, Good Samaritan, Harbor and Union Memorial.

Pub Date: 10/16/98