ALBANY, GA -
Palmyra Medical Center in Albany is no more, Friday it became Phoebe North.
The $198,000,000 hospital purchase became official at midnight and Phoebe quickly slipped new sign covers over the Palmyra signs.
Most employees we talked with Friday said the transition was as smooth as it could have been. Overnight many had a long night, working to switch both patients and employees from Palmyra to Phoebe.
Inside the former Palmyra Medical Center there was no visible change. Outside, a different story. Overnight, Palmyra signs were wrapped with temporary signs that bear the new name: Phoebe North. The transition team says that's the message nothing has changed, other than a name.
"We ease those fears by telling employees and the community at large nothing is going to change, we open our doors and its going to be business as usual," said Maureen Jackson, Phoebe North Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Operating Officer.
Employees say the transition has been smooth.
"It's been a very smooth process there have been representative here from Phoebe, helping us through the transition and we could barely notice it," said Cindreka Peterson, Phoebe North Discharge Practitioner.
Many dedicated to showing patients it's all in the name.
"The name changed, you're still going to get the great customer service that you've been getting," said Letita Adams, Phoebe North Certified Nursing Assistant.
For long time HCA employees it will be an adjustment.
"It's certainly with mixed emotions that we do go through it but I've been an employees of HCA for 26 years, I've been in this community for a very long time and while at times it's been a whole lot of competition I look forward to the steps that we're going to go through together," said Lisa Pinkston, Phoebe North Lab Director.
It's vindication for the Hospital Authority, who was called nothing but a straw man for Phoebe in the FTC's arguments.
"Those who felt antagonistic toward us now realize we were right and that we're doing the right thing for Albany and the whole surrounding area and as Joel has alluded to, give us time, we'll prove it, we'll see it," said Ralph Rosenberg, Hospital Authority Chairman.
The closing comes with a promise that, they'll be watching health care costs closely.
"We will have reports brought to the board from the hospital, this will be required terms of the lease that we will develop and I think everyone is going to work in concert with one another to make sure that those things do happen," said Ralph Rosenberg, Hospital Authority Chairman.
Phoebe Officials say eventually Phoebe North will become a specialty facility, what that will include is still being worked out, but is expected to include rehab facilities and maybe women's and children services.
Phoebe Officials say while the changeover is complete it will take time to change over medical records and make staffing adjustments.
