Hutcheson Medical Center leaders this morning said they have selected Erlanger Health System for partnership negotiations, in an effort to ensure that the Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., hospital remains a viable part of the area's health care network.
The two hospitals now intend to move forward with a 60-day "due diligence" period, a time for them to learn more about one another and come up with a detailed plan for collaboration, Hutcheson President and CEO Charles Stewart said at a news conference today at Hutcheson.
Erlanger hospital's board of trustees will have to give its approval to the move at the hospital's board meeting tonight, Erlanger President and CEO Jim Brexler said.
Hutcheson was seeking a relationship with either Erlanger or Memorial Health Care System, both Chattanooga-based health systems, to help bring doctors and patients back to the struggling community hospital, officials have said.
The 179-bed facility lost more than $7.3 million in fiscal year 2009, according to unaudited financial statements.
Today's 11 a.m. news conference followed a Wednesday closed meeting of the board of Hutcheson Health Enterprises, the nonprofit parent company of Hutcheson Medical Center and Hutcheson Medical Division.
The 13-member board unanimously approved the decision, which was based on a recommendation from the Hutcheson Medical Center board, Jim Forster, chairman of the Hutcheson Health Enterprises board, said today.
Hutcheson Medical Center's board, which is responsible for oversight of the hospital's day-to-day operations, met Monday in a closed meeting.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.