Skaggs Regional Medical Center welcomed representatives of LifePoint Hospitals to its campus Friday, June 15, as part of the due diligence stage in its search for a strategic partner.  “We appreciated the time their leadership took to tour our facility, and the time they took to visit with our physicians and staff,” says William K. Mahoney, President and CEO of Skaggs Regional Medical Center.

Administrators in attendance from LifePoint included Chairman and CEO Bill Carpenter, President and COO David Dill and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lanny Copeland, and Leif Murphy, Senior Development Officer. “We are gratified by the vote of confidence we received from the Skaggs Regional Medical Center board of directors when it selected LifePoint as a final candidate for a strategic partnership with the hospital,” explains Carpenter.  Following our visit on Friday, we are more impressed than ever by the talented team at the hospital and its clear dedication to providing quality care to its community.  We believe Life Point is a great fit for Skaggs and the communities it serves, and we are excited about the possibility of investing new resources in its growth and partnering with the exceptional employees and physicians at the facility to strengthen the healthcare delivery system in Branson.”

CoxHealth representatives toured the facility and answered questions of staff earlier in the week, “We are grateful for the warm and friendly welcoming we received from staff, physicians, and volunteers. Our tour served to reaffirm that a partnership between Skaggs and CoxHealth will be an excellent fit; we have much in common,” said Steve Edwards, President and CEO of CoxHealth.  “We are both deeply committed to serving the Ozarks, we are dedicated to the not for profit mission of healthcare, and we are here for the long haul. We will be stronger together, and the Tri-Lakes region will be better served by our partnership.”

Following the review period, the Skaggs Board of Directors will sign a letter of intent with a single candidate. The Board of Directors will then make a formal recommendation to the Board of Trustees for a final vote, which is expected to take place in early fall.