Ty Cobb Hospital Now Officially St. Mary’s Sacred Heart

It is official.

After months of negotiations and state review, St. Mary’s Health Care System of Athens has confirmed that it has acquired Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center in Lavonia retroactive to and effective on June 1.

St. Mary’s confirmed that everything officially went through late Friday.

With the sale now official, Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center is now officially known as St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital.

Under the terms of the final agreement approved by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, St. Mary’s and its parent organization, Trinity Health, are paying $12.9 million for the 56-bed hospital in Lavonia, its Certificate of Need, grounds, and certain related services like Clear Creek OB-GYN, Healthworks, and the wellness center.

Also, St. Mary’s will not acquire any outstanding debt from the construction of the Lavonia hospital, which opened in 2012 at a cost of $62 million.

Meanwhile, Ty Cobb Healthcare System will retain the Gables, Home Base Health Services, LifeSprings, the Ty Cobb Museum and rental properties.

With the acquisition, St. Mary’s Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services Jeff English is now the hospital’s interim president and former Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center CEO Greg Hearn will now serve as CEO of Ty Cobb Healthcare System, which retains the facilities not included in the sale.

Diane Toney, the chair of the newly formed Sacred Heart Hospital Board of Directors, said it is a banner day for Franklin County and northeast Georgia.

Meanwhile, St. Mary’s Health Care President and CEO Don McKenna said that without the burden of debt and with access to financial strength of St. Mary’s and Trinity Health, they are confident that all of the ingredients are in place from St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital to thrive.

St. Mary’s officials said planning is underway for a blessing ceremony and celebration later this summer.