Huntsville Hospital CEO David Spillers said Hartselle’s hospital facility will be a part of the new Decatur Morgan Hospital, but the type of medical care offered in Hartselle has not yet been determined.

Spillers along with Decatur General CEO Dean Griffin and Parkway Medical Center interim president Nat Richardson announced Huntsville Hospital’s 40-year lease agreement for Decatur General to become part of Huntsville Hospital.

The agreement allows for Parkway and Decatur General to operate as one consolidated hospital under the name Decatur Morgan Hospital. Spillers said the former Hartselle Medical Center would be a part of the same hospital system.

Spillers said any plans for Hartselle are on hold until the consolidation of Decatur General and Parkway is complete.

“The success of combining Decatur General and Parkway will have a direct impact on how much resources we will have for Hartselle,” Spillers said. “The quicker we can consolidate our services and get both of those hospitals profitable will help determine when we can do something in Hartselle.”

Spillers said that the historic model where three hospitals existed in the county, all running at about 30 percent capacity, was unsustainable in today’s environment of falling payments and increasing cost of technology.

“We’ve been working toward this day for a long time and we are confident that this new approach will benefit the hospitals and patients in Morgan County,” said Spillers.

Griffin will serve as president of Decatur-Morgan Hospital and Richardson would become the chief operating officer. Kim Shrewsbury, chief financial officer of Decatur General, will be the CFO.

Spillers said Griffin and Richardson will work with Hartselle doctors and city leaders to determine what Hartselle’s needs are and what will be a viable medical facility.

“Right now, we are working with the doctors in Decatur to address their needs. Once we finish that, then we will begin working with the doctors in Hartselle to address their needs,” Spillers said. “We won’t put something in Hartselle that will not at least break even.”

Capella Healthcare closed Hartselle Medical Center on Jan. 31 and then sold the property to Huntsville Hospital shortly thereafter. However, the hospital has been vacant since the hospital was purchased while hospital officials were determining what would be the best option for Hartselle.