News

Saint Joseph's Health System and Piedmont Healthcare today announced a decision to discontinue conversations to form a joint operating company. Citing differing perspectives, the two nationally recognized healthcare systems agreed to formally end discussions.

"After earnest discussions over the past 90 days, we found that while we shared the same standard for the highest level of patient care, we hold different views on how a partnership might best be structured," said R. Timothy Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. "Like Saint Joseph's, we are navigating this complex and challenging healthcare landscape with the goal of creating an even better and more innovative clinical care delivery model.  We continue to hold Saint Joseph's in the highest regard and wish its leadership much success as they explore future opportunities."

"We have both served the Atlanta area for more than a century with the highest quality care, but after reviewing all the options and what was best for our patients and community, we agreed that a joint venture between our healthcare systems would not be mutually beneficial," says Kirk G. Wilson, president and CEO of Saint Joseph's Health System. "Saint Joseph's will take the necessary time to chart the best course moving forward to continue providing compassionate, quality care."

About Piedmont Healthcare
Piedmont Healthcare (PHC), a not-for-profit organization, is the parent company of Piedmont Hospital, a 481-bed acute tertiary care facility in the north Atlanta community of Buckhead, and the Best in Atlanta in Overall Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Intervention for 2010 (HealthGrades®); Piedmont Fayette Hospital, a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital in Fayetteville, and one of two Georgia hospitals among the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation (2010); Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, a 42-bed community hospital in Jasper; and Piedmont Newnan Hospital, a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital in Newnan. Piedmont Healthcare also is the parent company of the Piedmont Heart Institute (PHI), comprised of more than 85 cardiovascular specialists in Piedmont Heart Institute Physicians with over 30 locations across north Georgia and North Carolina; the Piedmont Physicians Group, with more than 100 primary care physicians in over 30 offices throughout metro Atlanta; the Piedmont Clinic, a 600-member physician network; and Piedmont Philanthropy, the philanthropic entity for private fundraising initiatives. Three Piedmont Healthcare hospitals-Piedmont Hospital, Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Mountainside Hospital- are among the 2009 Most Wired hospitals in the nation and also received the top three patient satisfaction scores among metro Atlanta hospitals according to the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey (March 2009). For more information, visit piedmont.org.

About Saint Joseph's Health System
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1880, Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta is now a 410-bed, acute-care hospital recognized as one of the leading specialty-referral hospitals in the Southeast. Saint Joseph's is one of the region's premier providers of cardiac, vascular oncology and orthopaedic services and home to the most comprehensive minimally invasive robotic surgery program in the world.  Saint Joseph's is one of the 50 top hospitals and one of the few hospitals in the world to receive Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence. Saint Joseph's medical staff is comprised of over 750 physicians. Saint Joseph's Health System is based in Atlanta and has several subsidiaries including indigent care services, employed physician group, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Greensboro, GA, and research facilities.  Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Saint Joseph's is a member of Catholic Health East. For more information, please visit www.saintjosephsatlanta.org.