Last week, Hospital Corporation of America announced it would close Putnam General by the end of the month. The company blamed decreasing revenue due to bad publicity over a string of lawsuits involving the hospital and a former doctor.

Margaret Lewis, president of HCA'S Capital Division, told reporters that CAMC was the most qualified of the hospitals offering to buy PGH. The hope is that Putnam General Hospital would close one day and CAMC would reopen it the next day. If it closes without all the regulatory hurdles cleared, CAMC CEO David Ramsey said it would be very difficult to reopen it. HCA does not plan to delay the plan to close the hospital by the end of the month, in order to give CAMC a little more breathing room. Ramsey believes the hospital can get the state's blessing within a couple weeks.

Ramsey said the hospital anticipates keeping the same level of services. It will run PGH as a not for profit entity. Employees at PGH would have to reapply for positions with CAMC, but Ramsey does not believe there will be a significant shift in employment.

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