Fulton Medical Center officials announced Friday its owners are selling the facility to EmpowerHMS.
"It's an answer to our prayers," said Bruce Hackmann, economic development director for the Callaway Chamber of Commerce.
EmpowerHMS is a health care management company based in Kansas City, he said, with about 20 hospitals. The company will host a public announcement event at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Fulton City Hall.
Hackmann said he hopes Callaway County residents attend that event.
"We will know more than about the kinds and depths of services," he said. "It would be nice to have the community turn out in force."
A group of Fulton city, chamber and Callaway County officials have worked to find a solution to the hospital's potential closure - which would include the loss of a 24-hour emergency room. One of those people was Fulton Mayor LeRoy Benton. Benton and that group of officials met with the new owners Friday afternoon at the hospital, where they heard the happy news.
"I am just relieved and elated," Benton said. "I'm very impressed with these folks (the new owners). They're very community-oriented."
Benton said the new owners also own the I-70 Community Hospital in Sweet Springs, which could become a model for the local hospital.
"They're very excited to be here," he added. "They're very impressed with the history of our hospital, and they want to build on that."
Terms of the sale state that EmpowerHMS, which specializes in managing rural or critical access hospitals, will keep the hospital open and operating and its 37 beds available for patient care.
Hackmann said he didn't know the sale prices - the asking price was $6 million - or if the name would change. What he does want people to know is the group of officials were prepared to act to keep 24-hour urgent care available in the county.
"This committee stepped up and were prepared to do whatever it took, one way other the other," he added.
Callaway Chamber Executive Director Tamara Tateosian also was at the Friday afternoon meeting.
"This is wonderful," she said. "I just met the new owner (George Lopez), and he's the most enthusiastic individual and ready to make changes. This means we will have a hospital and urgent care for our community. This is great news."
The hospital was due to close Friday. Now the doors will remain open, and most of its employees will be retained.
"We are very excited at the prospect of keeping Fulton Medical Center operating in the heart of the community," FMC Chief Executive Officer Mike Powell said in a news release. "It has been our goal all along to find a solution that would continue to provide Callaway County access to health care close to home. We have also been concerned about how our employees and their families would be impacted by the hospital closure. Our work has paid off."
Fulton Medical Center is the only hospital in Callaway County. In December 2014, the Fulton Medical Center (then named Callaway Community Hospital) was purchased by NueHealth (also known as NueTerra), a health management company based in Leawood, Kansas, and University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia. NueHealth owned 65 percent of the venture while MU Health Care owned 35 percent, which - according to the terms of their operating agreement - they could sell back to Fulton Medical Center LLC.
On July 18, MU Health Care announced their intentions to do so. NueHealth announced plans July 24 to close the hospital by Sept. 22.
"It is going to take work, and this community does need to step forward and support this hospital so we're never in this position again," Hackmann said.
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EARLIER COVERAGE
Fulton Medical Center announced Friday its owners are selling the facility to EmpowerHMS.
As a result of the sale, EmpowerHMS, a health care management company, will assume ownership of the rural Missouri hospital, keeping the doors open while retaining most of its employees.
"We are very excited at the prospect of keeping Fulton Medical Center operating in the heart of the community," said FMC Chief Executive Officer Mike Powell. "It has been our goal all along to find a solution that would continue to provide Callaway County access to health care close to home. We have also been concerned about how our employees and their families would be impacted by the hospital closure. Our work has paid off."
Fulton Medical Center is the only hospital in Callaway County. Terms of the sale state that EmpowerHMS, which specializes in managing rural or critical access hospitals, will keep the hospital open and operating and its 37 beds available for patient care.
In July, MU Health Care announced intent to sell its 35 percent ownership shares back to FMC, leaving FMC parent organization NueHealth standing alone. On July 24, NueHealth officials announced intentions to close the hospital by Sept. 22.
"We are pleased with a positive outcome for the FMC community," said NueHealth Chairman Dan Tasset. "We have always maintained that our employees are skilled, dedicated and compassionate professionals who are the reason we have been able to provide exceptional care to our patients. Now they will be able to continue to ensure that health care services are available to rural communities in Callaway County."
Fulton Medical Center is a 48,450-square-foot center. It was purchased in 2014 by FMC LLC, a partnership between NueHealth, a health management company based in Leawood, Kansas, and University of Missouri of Health Care in Columbia.