Huntsville Hospital Health System To Acquire Crestwood Medical Center
Huntsville Hospital Health System To Acquire Crestwood Medical Center
Huntsville Hospital Health System (HH Health) and a subsidiary of Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS) have entered into a definitive agreement for HH Health to acquire substantially all of the assets of Crestwood Medical Center and its associated outpatient centers and practices. This acquisition reinforces HH Health’s commitment to the community and to building a stronger healthcare network in the Huntsville region. The acquisition is expected to close early in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing requirements.
“Through this acquisition, Huntsville Hospital Health System is continuing to invest in the specific health care needs of our patients and community and in our employees,” said Jeff Samz, President and CEO of Huntsville Hospital Health System.
“HH Health has served this community for more than a century,” Samz said. “We are committed to building on this legacy and continuing to invest in local access to high-quality, compassionate care.”
Huntsville is growing rapidly with a nearly 16% population increase in just the last five years.
“As our community continues to grow, we listen carefully to patient experiences and expectations,” Samz said. “Our community wants and deserves options for more locally coordinated services and care. Acquiring Crestwood allows us to coordinate and align healthcare resources across the community.”
“We are confident that HH Health will amplify the significant benefits that can be realized with locally-coordinated care in Huntsville,” said Justin Serrano, CEO, Crestwood Medical Center. “This is a great opportunity for our patients and the community.”
Crestwood Medical Center will continue normal operations through the completion of the acquisition, with no immediate changes to patient care, medical staff privileges or services. The acquisition includes the Medical Center, the Crestwood free-standing emergency department in Harvest, and other associated assets, including outpatient services and clinics and certain ambulatory interests.
FAQs
Patients will continue receiving the same high-quality care from the providers they know and trust, and should keep all scheduled appointments as planned. Our goal is to make it easier for patients to access the excellent care they need, when and where they need it.
No. Your upcoming appointment or procedure will not be impacted.
Yes. Crestwood Medical Center will remain open and continue caring for patients now, and when it becomes a part of HH Health.
Yes. Our intent is for Crestwood to remain Crestwood, with no immediate changes to the name, logo or branding as part of this transaction. The services, standards of care and patient experience people know and trust are expected to continue. Our focus is on preserving what makes Crestwood strong today, while supporting it with the additional resources of HH Health in the future. We are fortunate to have Crestwood in our community, and we are committed to honoring its identity as we move forward together.
Patients can continue to choose Crestwood providers and services with confidence that the hospital is locally owned, responsive to their needs and dedicated to providing excellent care. HH Health has grown because of our dedication to providing high-quality care and listening and responding to the needs of our patients, staff and providers. That commitment remains unchanged, and adding Crestwood to HH Health means we can do more to enhance capacity and access to important health care services.
Our goal is to make it easier for patients to access the excellent care they need, when and where they need it, and to elevate the level of care and services in the community. Within the nonprofit HH Health system, Crestwood will be operated as a locally-owned and governed hospital, backed by a system with a proven legacy of reinvesting resources locally, committed to supporting providers and programs that meet the unique needs of our community.
Crestwood Medical Center is an important part of our community. By bringing Crestwood into the HH Health family, we can better coordinate services, maintain local access to care, and address growing capacity needs in the region. Huntsville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and this step helps ensure our health care system grows alongside our community, keeping care close to home and locally owned.
By coming together, HH Health and Crestwood will be better positioned to manage patient capacity and improve access to care, especially in high-demand areas such as Emergency and Maternity services. This step allows us to share resources, coordinate services more effectively, and provide a more seamless experience for patients.
Beyond the benefits of expanded capacity and access, this combination creates opportunities to better coordinate local EMS services, move toward a unified electronic medical record across the region, strengthen clinician training and recruitment, and expand workforce development and training opportunities for employees.
Yes. All previously announced and planned capital projects will continue. This includes the $150 million bed tower expansion underway at HH Health’s Madison Street hospital, two new free-standing emergency departments planned in Madison County, expansion of the Madison Hospital emergency department and imaging center, and new operating rooms at Athens-Limestone Hospital. In addition, previously announced compensation adjustments for HH Health employees remain underway, as well as customary merit pay increases.
This transition will help strengthen and expand community partnerships. Ongoing programs with local nonprofit partners will continue, as well as training partnerships with local K-12 schools, community colleges and universities. We anticipate that clinician training and residency programs will continue to grow to ensure we continue to address community needs.
You will not notice much difference in the services provided by Crestwood Medical Center and HH Health today. Leaders from both organizations will continue working through details of the closing process, with the goal of completing the acquisition early in the second quarter of 2026. Integration planning is underway, and additional details will be shared as decisions are made and timing becomes clearer.
Employees at Crestwood Medical Center will work for HH Health in a similar manner as they work for CHS today. Employees can expect general operations to remain the same, as well as pay and benefits to remain comparable. We’re committed to keeping employees informed and supported throughout the process.
Physicians and providers will continue to care for patients as they do today. HH Health has deep roots in this community and long-standing relationships with local physicians. We look forward to welcoming Crestwood-affiliated physicians into the HH Health family. We share a common goal of providing high-quality, locally-coordinated care to our communities.
We expect minimal leadership or organizational changes. As integration planning continues, we will share updates and decisions as they are made.
The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. Integration planning is underway, but most changes will occur only after the acquisition is completed. Crestwood Medical Center employees will continue working as usual while we plan for a thoughtful and smooth transition to HH Health employment.