Sharp and Tri-City look to transform North County care

North County is on the verge of a significant transformation in how health care is delivered. In December 2025, the Tri-City Medical Center Board of Directors voted unanimously to pursue a 30-year strategic partnership with Sharp, marking a major step toward strengthening and modernizing care for the communities — including Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista — Tri-City has served for more than six decades.

Under the proposed affiliation, Sharp will assume operational responsibility for Tri-City Medical Center’s assets and liabilities and will commit to investing at least $100 million to modernize facilities, expand services and enhance the patient experience. This investment will prioritize upgrading Tri-City’s electronic health records and business systems, reestablishing key services previously offered in North County, and exploring opportunities to grow into new clinical specialties.

“This strategic partnership represents a shared commitment to strengthen health care access and quality for North County,” says Chris Howard, president and CEO of Sharp HealthCare. “By combining Tri-City’s deep community roots with Sharp’s integrated network, we will deliver the extraordinary, comprehensive care patients deserve and expect. It’s what we call The Sharp Experience.”

Comprehensive care across San Diego County

The model for this partnership follows Sharp’s successful long-term affiliation with the Grossmont Healthcare District, which began in 1991 and helped shape Sharp Grossmont Hospital into one of the region’s leading providers of comprehensive care. Similar to that agreement, the Tri-City Healthcare District will lease its hospital campus and facilities to Sharp, which will oversee daily operations.

“At its core, this decision is about caring for our community,” says Dr. Gene Ma, president and CEO of Tri-City Medical Center. “This affiliation allows us to reinvest in our hospital, strengthen essential services, and continue serving North County with compassion and a clear focus on the needs of our community.”

The agreement has been presented to the community through a series of special meetings, and the Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors took action on February 5 to call for an election in June. Once passed, Tri-City will launch operations as Sharp Tri-City Medical Center.

What this means for North County residents

Health care is arguably the most critical infrastructure in any thriving community. At one point or another in nearly every individual’s lifetime, it’s the one thing they are guaranteed to need. When that time comes, North County residents should expect the best in care — The Sharp Experience — to be available locally.

For patients and families, the benefits of this partnership are substantial. An affiliation between Sharp and Tri-City would:

• Facilitate replacement of aging equipment with the latest advanced medical technologies

• Enable Sharp to invest $100+ million to repair and upgrade Tri-City Medical Center facilities

• Increase the quality and variety of health care treatments offered locally in North County

• Restore previously eliminated health care services like maternity care

• Attract and retain high-quality Tri-City Medical Center doctors, nurses and medical specialists

A shared vision for North County’s health

As North County continues to grow, so does the need for advanced, comprehensive medical care — from exceptional women’s and newborn services for young families, to leading-edge cancer care for patients who currently must travel far from home for treatment. This partnership aims to make Sharp Tri-City Medical Center a leading medical campus, expanding access to care and ensuring that residents receive the best possible treatment within their communities.

Above all, it honors Tri-City’s identity as a community-built hospital. For 64 years, Tri-City has served all who walk through its doors. With this partnership, it will continue to do so for generations to come.

Learn more about the Sharp HealthCare and Tri-City Healthcare District partnership.

Paid for by Sharp HealthCare