St. Mary’s Health Care System announced 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. 

Components that St. Mary’s will acquire include 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. “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. 

“We are confident that all the ingredients are in place for St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital to be a first-rate community hospital,” English said. “I am looking forward to working closely with the staff, the excellent physician community, and the broader community to make St. Mary’s Sacred Heart the hospital of choice for this region.”