Officials Vow To Keep Fayette Medical Center Open As DCH Lease Ends

FAYETTE, AL — Local leaders are working to reassure residents about the Fayette Medical Center's future following the announcement that DCH Health System's current operating agreement will end next year.

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The Fayette Medical Center Board met Monday, Sept. 28, following last week's announcement that the existing lease between the Fayette County Hospital Board and DCH Health Care Authority cannot be renewed in its current form.

The least is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2027.

In a statement following the meeting, the board said it is "exploring multiple avenues to assess the options available for ensuring a strong and durable organization."

"We have a dedicated board who is committed to making sure the people of Fayette County continue to have access to excellent healthcare," Fayette Medical Center Board Chairman Heath Reed said.

Reed then sought to reassure residents about the future of health care services in the county.

"We want you to know that Fayette Medical Center is going to be here for your needs," Reed said.

The latest agreement took effect in October 2007, though DCH's relationship with Fayette Medical Center dates to 1984.

Fayette Medical Center is currently a 61-bed rural hospital, while its campus also includes a 122-bed nursing home.

Under the current arrangement, DCH leases the medical center from the Fayette County Hospital Board and operates the facility. DCH officials have cited rising costs, reimbursement levels and the financial challenges associated with providing rural health care as reasons the existing arrangement cannot continue.

What's more, officials have stressed that the end of the current lease does not mean Fayette Medical Center is closing.

Officials say the hospital is expected to continue operating normally through the remainder of the lease and DCH has said no staffing or personnel changes are currently planned.

Fayette County Probate Judge Mike Freeman said the county government intends to remain actively involved as officials determine what comes next for the medical center.

"We need to assess what we can be and what we want to be," Freeman said. "We want to have a strong medical center that cares for the citizens of Fayette County."

Fayette Mayor Rod Northam also spoke out after the news broke regarding the hospital's future, saying, "Fayette Medical Center is going to thrive."

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