HCA has done “a phenomenal job’’ on operating the four hospitals, he said.
He said Piedmont will eventually issue bonds to cover purchase costs.
Among Piedmont’s notable purchases have been Athens Regional Medical Center, in 2016, and Columbus Regional, in 2018.
Josh Berlin, CEO of rule of three, a health care consulting firm, said the transaction makes strategic sense for both HCA and Piedmont.
HCA previously “was pretty spread out’’ in Georgia, and didn’t have much presence in metro Atlanta, Berlin said. The deal will allow the system to concentrate on its eastern and southeastern markets in Georgia, he added.
Besides Rome, HCA operates hospitals in Augusta, Savannah, Waycross, Dublin and now Vidalia.
“For Piedmont, it gives them a great opportunity to expand their network in metro Atlanta and outside metro Atlanta,’’ Berlin said.
A bigger health care system brings economies of scale, including on purchasing supplies and technology, Berlin added. Larger companies have the clout to cut better deals with vendors and insurers.
Among the properties Piedmont is purchasing is Eastside Medical Center, a 310-bed, two-campus system in populous Gwinnett County. The north campus has 229 beds supporting acute care services, including a 46-bed emergency department.
The south campus currently offers a 61-bed inpatient psychiatric center, a 20-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility, and an 11-bed emergency department.
Coliseum Health System includes two acute care hospitals: Coliseum Medical Centers with 310 beds, including a 40-bed inpatient behavioral health facility (Coliseum Center for Behavioral Health), and Coliseum Northside with 103 beds. In addition, Coliseum operates an ambulatory surgery center in Macon with three operating rooms.
Cartersville Medical Center is a 119-bed acute care hospital that includes a 43-bed emergency department, with a Level III trauma center.
In addition, Piedmont would become a partner in a joint venture for 12 urgent and family care clinics.
