Emory Healthcare celebrates its new homes in Houston County

PERRY – Emory Healthcare is officially part of Houston County after merging with Houston Healthcare. Monday was filled with celebrating the new partnership, as signage was unveiled on June 2.

Representatives from Emory attended the event, sharing their enthusiasm for delivering high-quality healthcare to the area. Houston Healthcare Board Chair Ivan Allen also spoke about the partnership’s benefits to the community.

Emory Healthcare CEO Joon Lee spoke about his excitement for the beginning of the partnership. He also introduced Kevin Splaine, who will serve as CEO of both Emory Hospital in Warner Robins and Perry. 

Splaine said it was a great day for the community and Emory. He shared that they have been working on the partnership for over a year.

Houston Healthcare officially became a part of Emory Healthcare on Sunday, June 1, where Splaine spent the day walking around both campuses and introducing himself.

Emory will be making significant investments in the area, according to Splaine. Approximately half of specialty care is currently located in Macon, but they aim to change that. Once they make those investments, they plan to make the area the hub of healthcare, he said. 

He hopes Emory will not only serve Houston and Peach counties, but also other surrounding communities. Splaine also gave thanks to the community for welcoming Emory with open arms.

“The community has been extraordinarily receptive, outgoing and everywhere I go [is] just welcome. Southern hospitality seems to be a phrase. They’ve really reached out to us, myself and Emory and we’re just delighted to be partnering with them,” he said.

In the spring of 2024, Lee made his first visit to Houston County. He said he was impressed by Houston Healthcare’s leadership team, board members and clinicians’ dedication to providing care to their local community. He said the hospital was a great resource and knew right away they had the basis for a great partnership. 

Emory’s goal was to expand their healthcare to the middle Georgia area, and Lee said this is just the beginning.

Lee felt incredibly privileged to be a part of the community and partnership.

“We believe that will enhance the type of and quality of healthcare that the region can receive. As we invest in the community we believe this will be the gateway for a lot of the population in southern Georgia to access the Emory Healthcare system,” he said.

The merge has been lengthy, but it has been educational and energizing for Lee. He said people often fixate on the legal aspects of the process, as healthcare is a heavily regulated industry. Lee believes the important part occurs between the people, clinical leaders and administrative leaders on both sides, which, he said, was incredibly rewarding. 

“That’s what I mean by energizing is the dedication and the commitment that we felt in terms of the Houston Healthcare leadership and the clinical workforce, and combined with our culture and working together,” he said.

Lee encouraged the community to stay engaged with Emory, as the hospital is here to serve the area. He believes working together will enhance healthcare and access for the community; it will only improve from here, and partnership is critically important for preserving quality care in rural communities.

“We certainly intend for this to be a shining example,” he said.