Hearing focuses on AU Health’s planned deal with Wellstar
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A public hearing took place on the planned merger of Wellstar and Augusta University Health.
The attorney general’s office hosted the hearing at the Lee Auditorium on Laney Walker Boulevard at AU Medical Center.
In the merger, Wellstar will become the sole corporate member of AU Health and will have a 40-year contract with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
“It’s important to say during the selection process the board realized that the board and Wellstar Health Systems shared a proactive vision, and the proactive delivery of healthcare for the patients and the community we serve,” says Dr. Brooks Keel, acting CEO of AU Health System.
Watch the full hearing below.
Wellstar will spend nearly $800 million with the deal over the next 10 years, with millions used to build the new Columbia County hospital and move the current surgery center.
Also, $200 million will be used for the main Augusta University campus and $139 million will go towards various projects on the AU Medical Center campus.
Wellstar will also switch over to the new state electronic health records system.
In the first 10 years of the deal, regents have the right of first refusal if Wellstar tries to sell or transfer its stake in the Medical College of Georgia. That means the university system gets the first chance at acquiring the assets.
“Wherever we serve and whatever we do, wellstar strives to be the best, to create healthier families and communities. as a mission driven, not for profit system, 100 percent of our revenue is reinvested into the healthcare needs of the communities we serve,” says Candice Saunders, CEO and President of Wellstar Health Systems.
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AU Health wanted the merger after losing $63 million overall since 2017, according to audits. The health system has been looking for a partner like Wellstar since 2019.
So this deal looks like it will help AU with its losses.
As for employees, Wellstar says they are committed to keeping all current AU Health System employees for a minimum of nine months after the deal is made. After that, the healthcare system will assess the operational performance of the hospital.
Wellstar says they’re hoping to keep all AU Health System employees in senior leadership positions to keep a level of consistency in the system.
The name Wellstar may sound familiar. The Marietta-based health care provider was the owner of Atlanta Medical Center, which had one of the few Level 1 trauma centers in Georgia before Wellstar suddenly closed the hospital.
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