Hospitals formerly under the University Community Hospital (UCH) umbrella came under new management in September, when the UCH network joined the Christian-based Adventist Health System (AHS).
Adventist Health System committed $125 million in capital investments, $10 million to the UCH foundation and took on UCH's outstanding debts and liabilities. John Harding, former head of ACH's Florida Hospital Heartland, was appointed UCH's new CEO.
"The merger is only a few months old, so it's business as usual as far as everyday hospital activity at our campuses for employees, patients and visitors,'' says UCH spokesperson Will Darnall. "It's been a seamless transition and benefits both entities with UCH being part of a national organization (Adventist) now with 48 hospitals."
Adventist and UCH formed a joint venture in 2007 to build the Wesley Chapel Medical Center on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. They broke ground on the site in December 2010. The medical center is projected to open in 2012. The new 200,000-square-foot facility will have 80 beds to accommodate patients in need of inpatient care.
Other hospitals in the former UCH network include Tampa's
University Community Hospital,
Pepin Heart Hospital and
The Women's Center on East Fletcher Avenue,
University Community Hospital, Carrollwood on Dale Mabry Highway,
Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital in Tarpon Springs and the
Long Term Acute Care Hospital in Land O' Lakes.
Writer:
Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Will Darnall, University Community Hospital
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