Hospital merger would mean tax revenue for Talladega

Officials say The proposed acquisition of Baptist Health Systems by Tenet Health Care would benefit both the hospitals involved, including Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega, and the local governments as well.

Baptist Health Systems signed a letter-of-intent earlier this week to form a new, jointly-owned hospital system with Tenet Health Care, the parent company of Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. In addition to Citizens, the deal would also include Princeton, Shelby and Walker medical centers.

The benefit to the community will come not only from improvements at the hospital, but also from the fact that, for the first time, Talladega will have a for-profit, tax-paying hospital in the city.

Talladega City Manager Brian Muenger, who also serves on the Citizens’ advisory board, said he had raised the issue with the city’s finance department but didn’t have an impact figure yet.

“Tax revenue aside, Muenger said “the biggest potential benefit of the merger with Tenet would be more capital funding put into the hospital and into expansion, new facilities and offices.