East Alabama Health to manage Medical Center Barbour under new agreement
Opelika-based East Alabama Health will assume management and operational oversight of Medical Center Barbour in Eufaula, Ala., beginning Oct. 1, according to an Aug. 12 health system news release shared with Becker's Hospital Review.
The management agreement does not include an ownership change. Medical Center Barbour will continue to serve Eufaula and surrounding communities, with East Alabama Health leading day-to-day operations and providing strategic guidance to support patient care and strengthen services.
Medical Center Barbour is owned by the Health Care Authority of the City of Eufaula and is a 25-bed critical access hospital that also includes a 10-bed geriatric psychiatry unit, a system spokesperson confirmed. East Alabama Health employs about 4,200 people and is the second largest employer in the region.
"Access to timely, high-quality health care is vital for every community, particularly in rural areas," East Alabama Health President and CEO Laura Grill said in the release. "We are honored to partner with The Health Care Authority of the City of Eufaula as we work together to preserve and strengthen local health care services for the citizens of Barbour County and the surrounding communities."