Columbus Regional Health’s Board of Directors has unanimously voted in favor of pursuing a strategic affiliation with Piedmont Healthcare. Based on this decision, a Letter of Intent was executed initiating an exclusive negotiation period between the two organizations.

Columbus Regional Health’s two hospitals – Midtown Medical Center and Northside Medical Center, as well as its John B. Amos Cancer Center, MyCare Urgent Care Centers and multiple physician practices – would be included in the partnership.

Piedmont Healthcare is a not-for-profit system of 7 hospitals, nearly 100 Piedmont-employed physician practice locations and a clinically integrated network of over 1,600 employed and independent physicians, caring for patients and communities across Georgia.

“Since last year when we made our initial announcement regarding a potential partnership or affiliation, we have maintained our position of strength financially and we continue to realize improvement across many areas of our health system. We believe that now is the time to combine our strengths through a strategic partnership. This will allow us to serve our patients and the community to the highest degree possible,” said Scott Hill, Columbus Regional Health President and CEO.

“Our employees, physicians and leaders have worked hard in recent years to transform and improve our health system. We have put the patient at the center of what we do every day, focused on patient safety and quality of care, and increased efficiencies, in addition to controlling costs,” Hill explained. “We believe these foundational cultural attributes will be critical for success in the future of healthcare delivery and we believe Piedmont Healthcare shares in the vision of that culture.”

“This decision was made after a comprehensive, year-long process to evaluate the benefits for our patients, for our employees, our medical staff and most importantly, for our community. Based on the core goals and objectives we laid out before we began our process, we are confident Piedmont is the right fit for us” added Warren Steele, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Columbus Regional Health.
“Piedmont Healthcare has proven experience integrating hospitals into its operations and capitalizing on the unique expertise of each organization, while working to meet the needs of every community they serve in Georgia,” Steele added.

“Piedmont is committed to making a positive difference in every life we touch. We share a commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care with Columbus Regional and welcome this opportunity to increase access and enhance care across Southwest Georgia,” said Kevin Brown, President and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “Columbus Regional has a rich history of caring for its community and region, and we are thrilled to start working on a partnership with an organization that shares so many of our values.”

Columbus Regional Health’s Midtown Medical Center provides the region’s only advanced maternity services and neonatal intensive care unit; a Children’s Hospital, including a pediatric intensive care unit; comprehensive women’s services; a neuroscience center for spine and stroke care; emergency services – and the region’s only Level II trauma center and heliport.

Northside Medical Center was named a Five Star hospital by Medicare in 2016 and again in 2017. This rating was granted to only two Georgia hospitals currently and 102 hospitals nationally from over 3,000 hospitals surveyed.

The partnership with Piedmont Healthcare will support Columbus Regional Health’s strategy of investing in improved services like emergency care and those offered by the John B. Amos Cancer Center, ensuring our patients continue to have expanded access to high quality, cost effective care.