John Paul Jones Hospital in Camden, Alabama, has entered into a management agreement to become a member of the UAB Health System. The hospital joins two other rural Alabama hospitals with management agreements with UAB; Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital in Demopolis and LV Stabler Memorial Hospital in Greenville.
In August of this year, the J. Paul Jones Hospital board announced that the 30-bed hospital, which has been in operation for 60 years, would soon be forced to close due to declining reimbursement rates and the difficult financial environment facing small, local hospitals.
“Small hospitals, in particular those in Alabama’s underserved, rural counties, are under tremendous financial pressure,” said Will Ferniany, Ph.D., CEO of the UAB Health System. “We believe it is part of the UAB Medicine mission to help provide assistance to hospitals throughout the state and to do what we can to ensure the survival of these rural hospitals.
| “We believe it is part of the UAB Medicine mission to help provide assistance to hospitals throughout the state and to do what we can to ensure the survival of these rural hospitals." |
“Joining hands with UAB can be the key strategic relationship that keeps John Paul Jones Hospital open and able to continue to serve this community,” said George Alford, chair of the hospital board. “This hospital has long been a mainstay and focal point of the region. We are proud that with this arrangement, we will be able to perpetuate J. Paul Jones Hospital’s outstanding legacy for many more years.”
Under the new relationship, UAB Medicine will provide managerial expertise and assist in supply chain logistics, revenue cycle management and compliance issues. UAB will also help with clinical resources such as assistance in physician recruiting and staffing.
The UAB Health System now includes UAB Hospital, UAB Highlands Hospital, UAB Callahan Eye Hospital and management relationships at Medical West, Baptist Health Montgomery and Whitfield, Stabler and Jones Hospitals. Affiliation relationships exist with Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Northeast Regional Medical Center in Anniston, and Russell Medical Center in Alexander City.
“We are committed to helping rural hospitals in Alabama and the patients these hospitals serve,” Ferniany said. “Continued growth of the UAB Health System, collaboration with other health care providers and expansion of our clinical footprint will continue to enable us to be successful in our missions of patient care, medical education and research and our role in serving the citizens of Alabama.”