February 15, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The University of Alabama Board of Trustees today approved an affiliation agreement between the UAB Health System and Bessemer Carraway Medical Center.

“This agreement helps to meet the needs of the Bessemer Community and both organizations,” said David Fine, CEO of the UAB Health System. “It supports UAB’s goal of lifting the School of Medicine into the top 10 in research funding from the National Institutes of Health by the end of the decade. Additionally, it provides UAB with an appropriate community setting for several of its residency training programs.”

“Bessemer Carraway will be able to continue its mission of providing community health care to the citizens of our region,” said Dan Eagar, CEO of BCMC. Discussions between the two organizations began in May 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement:

• BCMC will be managed by the UAB Health System;
• BCMC will remain a stand-alone legal entity and the current BCMC directors will form a foundation to support community health needs;
• The CEO of the UAB Health System will serve as the chairman of the BCMC board;
• Bessemer Carraway CEO Dan Eagar will continue serving as CEO of BCMC.

“This alliance will provide patients with access to appropriate care in their community, while freeing University Hospital beds for more critically ill patients,” Fine said. “Also, this agreement will facilitate referrals for the high-tech care provided by UAB. This alliance with a community hospital strengthens our primary and secondary care enterprise and signals our emergence as a ‘true’ system model.”

Eagar said, “Our patients will benefit from the added expertise derived from having UAB physicians in our community. It also will allow for an increased continuity of care for our patients who must receive a higher level of care than what can be provided at BCMC. I believe this relationship truly will enhance the care we are able to provide our patients.”