ANNISTON, Ala. (WBRC) – Officials with the City of Anniston announced Tuesday evening that city-owned Regional Medical Center will be acquired by Orlando Health.
“We are excited to welcome RMC’s team members and physicians to Orlando Health,” said David Strong, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “Together, we look forward to investing in excellent services that will benefit the region, partnering with physicians, purposefully growing and becoming the best place to work.”
Officials with the City of Anniston announced Regional Medical Center will be acquired by Orlando Health.(City of Anniston/Regional Medical Center)
City leaders say this partnership will strengthen the future of healthcare in Anniston and northeast Alabama.
“Since joining RMC just over a year ago, I have worked with our leadership team, Board of Directors and the City of Anniston leaders to develop a clear, strategic vision to revitalize RMC as a leading acute-care referral center in the region,” said Keith Parrott, CEO, RMC. “What excites us most about the partnership with Orlando Health is their proven ability to accelerate and strengthen growth and performance initiatives, and their demonstrated success in markets facing challenges similar to those at RMC.”
After a careful evaluation along with the Regional Medical Center Healthcare Authority, the Anniston City Council says they determined partnering with Orlando Health offered the best path forward to protect long-term healthcare access for the community and the region.
“Today marks a defining moment for the City of Anniston and the future of healthcare in our region,” said Mayor Ciara Smith-Roston. “After months of intentional work behind the scenes, we are proud to announce the acquisition of Regional Medical Center by Orlando Health — a nationally recognized leader in healthcare and, quite frankly, one of the best systems in the country.”
Local leaders say the collaboration with Orlando Health will help accelerate plans to strengthen RMC’s role as a regional referral center and expand access to care for patients across the region.
“This partnership with Orlando Health positions Anniston as the hub for high-quality healthcare in Northeast Alabama,” said Mayor Smith-Roston. “It signals to families, businesses, and future investment that our city is serious about growth, serious about outcomes, and serious about doing things the right way.”
RMC currently has nearly 2,000 team members and 200 physicians on staff.
Regional Medical Center is currently owned by the City of Anniston. Once acquired, it will become part of Orlando Health’s Alabama Region.
Orlando Health purchased a majority interest in Baptist Health in Birmingham back in 2024, which includes five hospitals across central Alabama, with more than 1,700 licensed beds, 58 primary and specialty care clinics, 2,600 affiliated physicians, and more than 6,100 team members.
“RMC is an important addition to Orlando Health’s growing presence in Alabama and strengthens our ability to serve patients across the region,” said Thibaut van Marcke, senior vice president, Orlando Health and president, Baptist Health. “By bringing RMC into the Orlando Health system, we can expand services and collaborate with physicians and team members to enhance access to high-quality care for communities throughout Northeast Alabama.”
According to city leaders, Orlando Health indicated they plan to invest significant resources in hospital facilities, equipment, and technologies, including an electronic health record system for medical records management.
“The hospital facility is owned by the City of Anniston, and with that ownership comes a responsibility,” Smith-Roston said. “Our role is to ensure that this community asset continues serving residents in the strongest and most sustainable way possible.”
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