After more than 200 years serving the Augusta community, first known as City Hospital, University Hospital has a new name.
“I went to bed last night as the last CEO of University Healthcare System. And I woke up today the first CEO of Piedmont Augusta,” said Jim Davis as the merger with Piedmont Healthcare became official.
Dozens of people, many of them University Hospital employees, gathered March 1 on the hospital’s front lawn as a banner was lowered revealing the name “Piedmont.”
Word of the possible merger came in May 2021 when Davis confirmed a non-binding letter of intent had been signed between University and Piedmont.
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Resolutions supporting the merger were unanimously approved by University Hospital’s Board of Directors and the Richmond County Hospital Authority in a called meeting on Sept. 9.
“We share a common mission. We have common values, we have a common commitment to quality and safe care for patients,” said Davis, adding, “This is a great organization. And we’re really thrilled that we chose them to be our partner. So, let’s all celebrate the preservation of the mission. It’s about taking care of people that has lived here for 204 years. And let’s all imagine the endless possibilities of what we can now accomplish together as Piedmont.”
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Kevin Brown, CEO of Piedmont Healthcare, said it was a proud day to be able to complete the merger.
“I know our partnership is going to be a great success for those that we serve. I know it’s going to be a great success because our cultures are almost a perfect match with each other,” he said. “Some of the things that we match perfectly on are around quality. It’s our focus. It’s our legacy. It’s our history. We both have deep roots in outstanding medical staff, clinical talent, administrative talent; we also both share a feeling about being very good stewards of the resources.”
The merger calls for Piedmont to invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to expand and upgrade University’s operation. The deal includes the Summerville Hospital, University Hospital McDuffie and four nursing homes operated by University Health Care System.
Included in the financial arrangements is a commitment from Piedmont to invest $2 million a year for 10 years to address community health needs.
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A name changing ceremony was also held at University Hospital McDuffie. Davis said the plan is to create a large outpatient center at that location.
Still to be determined is when the future mission of the Summerville Hospital can begin.
“Summerville, we haven’t figured that riddle out. One of the big shortcomings right now in healthcare is the lack of health care workers, particularly nurses,” he said. “We’re in the process right now working with Dr. Jermaine Whirl over to Augusta Tech, to create a nursing school that hopefully will create more nurses in our community to take care of patients in the future. And we’re going to do that on the Summerville campus.”
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Davis said the University Hospital name has served the Augusta community well for more than 200 years.
“We have an awful lot to be proud of, our history. Many know this place is a special place, with special people doing special things. For some, this might be a sad day. They’ve lived their lives here, they’ve had their careers here, they were born at university. But we all should take heart and the fact that a brand name is really, you know, kind of an artificial thing. We just have brands to separate us from other organizations,” he said.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
