See the USG Board of Regents resolution on Wellstar, AU Health merger

Abraham Kenmore, Augusta Chronicle
Updated ·2 min read

The final agreement between Augusta Health System and Wellstar has not yet been made public, but the resolution from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents this week was released.

The resolution contains a list of documents that will be included in the final agreement, including a master agreement, a series of lease agreements, and a development and a cooperation agreement.

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue

These documents, which are not yet public, were presented to regents. All but one of the 14 documents associated with the agreement were listed as drafts. The regents voted to approve the agreement in "substantially the same terms" as outlined in these documents, and empowered USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue or his office to finalize and carry out the agreements.

Once the documents are finalized they will go to the Attorney General for a legal review. The Attorney General's Office confirmed on Wednesday that they have not yet begun that review. As part of the regent's resolution, they voted to authorize the agreement in its final form once the AG signs off on the agreement.

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Following the review, the Attorney General's Office will hold a public hearing on the proposal, as it does for all sales of nonprofit hospitals. The hearing will include testimony from representatives of both entities and an independent consultant hired by the Attorney General, among others, as well as an opportunity for public comment.

Among the documents listed in the attachments are lease and sublease agreements between the Board of Regents and the AU Medical Center, Roosevelt Warm Springs Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospitals, a clinical and administrative professional service agreement, a research, education and professional service agreement, and a faculty physician agreement.

The regents meeting on March 31 was specially called to consider and vote on the proposed merger, and the meeting had no formal agenda, just a meeting notice. The vote was held at 8 a.m. and hours later Perdue, Wellstar executives, Augusta University administrators and even Gov. Brian Kemp were briefing news media about the agreement.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Wellstar, AU Health agreement approved in Board of Regents resolution