‘Mission lives on’ despite new name for University Hospital

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With a sign-unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning, University Hospital officially became Piedmont Augusta as part of its partnership with Piedmont Healthcare.

University President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Davis noted the hospital’s 204 years of continuous service to the community. He noted the many awards and honors the hospital has received for its quality of care.

“For some, this might be a sad day,” he said.

“But what really lives on is our mission ... to improve the lives of those we serve. Today, that mission lives on. It lives on under a new name and a new steward in Piedmont Healthcare,” he said.

He said the future of health care will be a “a tough thing” considering the pandemic and other issues. He said it would be “incredibly risky” going it alone, so the deal with Piedmont offers scale of skill and scale of economies.

“In Piedmont, we found an incredible partner,” noting that University and Piedmont a both not-for-profit organizations and share other qualities.

Now University Hospital, University Hospital Summerville and University Hospital McDuffie are Piedmont Augusta Hospital, Piedmont Augusta Hospital Summerville Campus and Piedmont McDuffie Hospital.

The $1 billion partnership was announced in May, between University and Piedmont — which has now has 19 hospitals from Atlanta to Athens, Columbus, Macon and now Augusta.

The deal also includes a $20 million investment in community health benefits over 10 years.

At the time the deal was announced, University had 4,138 employees systemwide. The University Healthcare System employs 150 doctors and more than 650 medical staffers.

Sources at University said in May that no employees would lose their job because of the new partnership with Piedmont Healthcare and patients would continue seeing their favorite doctors.

At Tuesday’s ceremony, Piedmont President and CEO Kevin Brown said with the addition of the University system as a “clinical hub,” 80 percent of Georgia’s population will live within an hour of one of Piedmont’s acute-care facilities.

“We look forward to continuing to be a good community partner,” he said.

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