Piedmont Healthcare is in Newton County.

Fifteen months after Newton Medical Center’s Board of Directors announced they were seeking an equity partner, the hospital officially unveiled its transformation Thursday.

Newton Medical Center, now Piedmont Newton, will celebrate its 61st anniversary in two weeks, and marks that occasion with a new chapter in the hospital’s long history.

“A lot has changed over that period of time,” Piedmont Newton Chief Executive Officer Jim Weadick said. “The population has grown from 18,000 to over 100,000, and very significantly the role this hospital plays in the well-being of this community both in terms of physical health but also in terms of its economic growth, I believe has been extremely important.”
Weadick spoke to a large crowd gathered at the hospital’s main entrance, including administrators from Piedmont Healthcare Systems, Chairman Keith Ellis, Mayor Ronnie Johnston, city council members, chamber of commerce members, Newotn County Hospital Authority board members and more.

““This morning’s celebratory events mark the beginning of a new chapter for our hospital,” Weadick said. ““We’ve come a long way since the hospital was established in 1954 and I know we’ll continue to grow and thrive under Piedmont’s leadership.”

Following Weadick’s remarks, Piedmont Healthcare Chief Operating Officer Greg Hurst, spoke about the partnership between the two healthcare organizations.

“This is a great day for Piedmont and Newton Medical Center,” Hurst said. “We’re here celebrating partnership that brings together two great organizations that serves the local communities to enhance the healthcare in these communities.
“Piedmont hospital has continued to provide the residents with access to the medical staff and services they provide. But beyond them they will now find the resources and expertise of piedmont healthcare.”

The attorney general approved the affiliation Sept. 4, roughly a year after the affiliation announcement was made, and Piedmont Healthcare was named as the proposed partner in January.

Piedmont is leasing the hospital for 40 years and plans on beginning construction on the emergency department expansion
This is the sixth hospital for Piedmont Healthcare, which has the Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, a 529-bed general and specialty acute-care hospital Buckhead; Piedmont Fayette Hospital, a 172-bed, acute-care community hospital in Fayetteville; Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, a 52-bed community hospital in Jasper; Piedmont Newnan Hospital, a 136-bed, acute-care community hospital in Newnan; and Piedmont Henry Hospital, a 215-bed acute-care community hospital in Stockbridge.