Magee (Miss.) General Hospital and South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel plan to merge this summer, formalizing a partnership that has been developing since 2023.
The two Mississippi hospitals have been collaborating under an administrative services agreement since July 2023. Now, following a period of due diligence, Magee General’s Board of Directors announced that a definitive transaction is in place to unite the two organizations through an acquisition process anticipated to begin this summer.
“This integration will place the Magee hospital in a stronger position to navigate the challenging and evolving healthcare landscape while providing a strategy to move additional physicians and specialized services into our community — ultimately improving long-term staffing and increasing access to care,” Magee General Board Chair G. Bennett Hubbard, Jr. said in an April 3 news release.
Leaders from both Magee General and South Central emphasized that no jobs will be lost as a direct result of the acquisition. Instead, the focus will be on service expansion and bringing in additional board-certified physicians to meet local needs.
“The organizations share a vision for access to high-quality healthcare in rural Mississippi, and we believe this step is the best way to accomplish that goal,” George Walters, chair of South Central’s board of trustees, said.
Other strategic priorities tied to the merger include service line improvements, leveraging economies of scale through vendor and payer agreements, and reinforcing the hospital’s role as a key healthcare provider and economic engine for Magee.
The transaction is expected to close by early summer, pending regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
