Two Georgia healthcare organizations have announced the termination of a joint venture that began in 1998.
Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare will purchase Nashville-based HCA's ownership interest in 72-bed Emory Johns Creek Hospital and become the sole owner of that facility, while HCA will assume full ownership of 247-bed Eastside Medical Center in Gwinnett County.
According to officials from both organizations, the transition of ownership for the two Atlanta hospitals is expected to be complete within the next several months. No terms were disclosed.
"HCA and Emory Healthcare formed this partnership to build on their long-standing reputations for delivering quality healthcare services and to develop a new hospital in the growing Johns Creek community," said John T. Fox, Emory Healthcare's president and CEO.
"Our organizations share a deep-rooted commitment to delivering the very best possible healthcare services and we will work collaboratively and effectively to ensure a seamless transition for employees and physicians, and certainly with no disruption to our patients," said Larry Kloess, president of HCA's TriStar division, with hospitals in Atlanta, northwest Georgia, Tennessee and south central Kentucky.
Emory Johns Creek Hospital President and CEO John Quinlivan said the hospital will continue to serve its community and support the community physicians who have been vital to its growth and development.
"These are outstanding physicians who know, first-hand, the needs of this area and who, equally with the hospital, are unwavering in their focus to provide patients the highest quality of care with the utmost service," he said.
According to Kloess, Eastside Medical Center, which serves Gwinnett County and surrounding areas in Georgia, is undergoing a multi-phase expansion that includes the construction of a new medical office building on the hospital campus and a $12 million emergency department expansion. In May, Eastside also opened a new digital outpatient imaging center in Loganville.
Fox said the two organizations would work together to provide information to employees about the transition of payroll and other benefits. Fox and Kloess said they expect no immediate changes in executive leadership at either facility.