Williamson Health board announces RFP, will explore sale while seeking to remain independent

Beau Butler, chair of the Williamson Health board of trustees, told the Williamson County Board of Commissioners on July 14 that the hospital board will begin a comprehensive strategic process that includes issuing a request for proposals to evaluate potential partners while continuing to explore ways to remain independent. "We are currently in the discovery phase, not the determination phase," Butler said as he read a letter outlining the board’s plan. "The board did not vote to sell the hospital. We're fulfilling our responsibility to explore all options."

The board framed the move as a long-term stewardship decision rather than a present change of control. Butler said the RFP will be sent to qualified prospective partners in the coming weeks, proposals will likely be reviewed in late fall, and any sale recommendation would require county commission approval and subsequent review by the Tennessee attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. He said the process, including negotiations, could take 12 to 36 months.

Phil Mazuca, chief executive officer of Williamson Medical Center, and Terry Fowler, the hospital’s interim chief financial officer, answered commissioners’ questions about the health-care and financial context. Fowler reported operating metrics for May, including net revenue better than budget and 107 days cash on hand; Mazuca said legislative changes and broader reimbursement pressures are part of the strategic calculus. "There’s a lot of moving parts," Mazuca said, citing recent federal legislation and state-level regulatory changes that affect Medicaid and hospital finances.

Butler said the board prefers to remain independent but must evaluate whether independent options can be funded and sustained. He said proceeds from any sale would first pay hospital debt and any remaining funds would be placed into a newly formed independent foundation to support future local health-care needs. The board plans to share a letter, FAQ and other materials on a hospital website and via media and staff communications following the meeting.

No decision was requested or made by the county commission at the meeting; commissioners asked questions and were offered further briefings. Commissioner Steve Smith and others voiced support for the board’s process. Mayor Rogers Anderson and hospital leaders said they are available for follow-up conversations with commissioners and the public.

The announcement follows a series of observations from the hospital about rising operating costs, staffing challenges and shifting reimbursement models. The board said the RFP is intended to determine if a partner exists that would protect the hospital’s mission, staff and local services while providing capital to expand and sustain care.

The board’s letter and an FAQ will be posted by the hospital and distributed to media and staff; the hospital said it will provide additional briefings to the commission as the process advances.