Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center to get new name, leadership

LAVONIA — St. Mary’s Health Care System announced Tuesday that Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center will be renamed St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital and that Jeff English, St. Mary’s Vice President Human Resources and Support Services, will be its interim president when the acquisition process is completed on or around June 1.
 
Currently, the Georgia Attorney General’s office is reviewing the proposed sale and the two systems are continuing final negotiations. Terms of the proposed sale are not yet available.
 
English will succeed Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center CEO Greg Hearn, who will continue to serve as CEO of Ty Cobb Healthcare System (TCHS). TCHS will retain facilities and services not included in the sale to St. Mary’s, including the Gables, Home Base Health Services, LifeSprings, the Ty Cobb Museum, and rental properties.
 
As part of the agreement, St. Mary’s will acquire the 56-bed hospital located at 367 Clear Creek Parkway; Clear Creek OB/GYN (the practice of James R. Bauerband, M.D.); Healthworks, and the Ty Cobb Wellness Center, which will become the St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Wellness Center.
 
“We appreciate the enthusiasm and commitment demonstrated by Greg and the entire Ty Cobb leadership team and front-line staff during our due diligence process,” English said in a press statement. “We are especially grateful for their dedication to ensuring quality healthcare services continue for this region. St. Mary’s has been serving the Lake Hartwell area for generations, and we are looking forward to expanding our healing presence here.”
 
In a recent letter to staff, Hearn said: “Shortly after I became the CEO of TCRMC in January of 2013, I realized that we would need some type of partnership or merger with a larger hospital to be successful. The sale to St. Mary’s accomplishes that objective and secures the future of this hospital in this community. I fully support this sale and the restructuring that is taking place. It is the right thing for our hospital and it is the right thing for our community.”
 
The Sacred Heart name was chosen because it reflects St. Mary’s tradition of faith, compassion, and high quality care, said Don McKenna, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Health Care System. It also recognizes the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who re-opened St. Mary’s in 1938 as a Catholic hospital.
 
“’Sacred Heart’ truly reflects our mission to serve together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within our communities,” McKenna said. “It embodies our core values of reverence, commitment to those who are poor, justice, stewardship, and integrity.”
 
English is a native of Murphy, N.C. A husband and father, he brings 22 years of healthcare experience to his leadership role at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, including 14 years on the executive team at St. Mary’s. His responsibilities at St. Mary’s include executive oversight of various clinical, administrative and support services. In addition, English oversees St. Mary’s long-standing relationship with the University of Georgia Athletic Association.
 
“I am confident in Jeff and his ability to integrate Ty Cobb into the St. Mary’s system,” McKenna said. “In addition to his years of human resources experience, he is a skilled healthcare leader. He has the ability to bring people together to resolve day-to-day issues while keeping focused on our purposeful work. He has been heavily involved in our due diligence process and has already built strong ties with leadership and staff at Ty Cobb.”
 
English announced that his leadership team will include Lauren Papka, who will continue as Director of Administrative and Support Services, and Regina Hooper, who will continue as Director of Nursing.
 
About St. Mary’s Health Care System
Founded in 1906, St. Mary’s became a Catholic hospital in 1938 and today is part of the Trinity Health nationwide system of care, with more than 80 hospitals from coast to coast. In addition to St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens and St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro, St. Mary’s Health Care System includes numerous physician practices with offices across the region, home health care/hospice services, Highland Hills Village retirement community, and outpatient services and facilities. Learn more at www.stmarysathens.org. 
 
About Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center
Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center began in 1950 with a $100,000 donation from baseball great Ty Cobb. The hospital grew into Ty Cobb Healthcare System and included Cobb Memorial Hospital in Royston, Hart County Hospital in Hartwell, and number of other services. In 2012, the two hospitals were united into a state-of-the-art, 56-bed facility located just off I-85 in Lavonia.