Crestwood Medical Center is now part of Huntsville Hospital Health System, a transition officials say will preserve local control while strengthening access to care across North Alabama.
The move follows a decision by Community Health Systems to sell Crestwood as part of a broader effort to reduce debt. Huntsville Hospital Health System stepped in to acquire the facility, keeping it under local nonprofit ownership and maintaining operations in Madison County.
The agreement includes Crestwood Medical Center and its associated clinics, outpatient services and freestanding emergency department.
Crestwood Medical Center will continue operating under its name and identity, including its colors and logo, with no planned changes to services, physicians or day to day operations.
“We are excited to welcome the Crestwood team into the Huntsville Hospital family and proud of the care they provide,” said Jeff Samz, CEO of Huntsville Hospital Health System. “What this does is strengthen that care and keep it rooted in this community. Bringing Crestwood into our system will have meaningful, positive outcomes for patients, especially in high-need areas like emergency care, labor and delivery, stroke care, and trauma services.”
As part of the system, Crestwood will be integrated into a broader regional network aimed at improving coordination between hospitals and expanding access to care.
Early priorities include evaluating and updating equipment and technology, using previously unused space within the hospital, strengthening nurse compensation, coordinating care between facilities and implementing a single electronic health record system.
As a nonprofit system, Huntsville Hospital Health System reinvests revenue into patient care, facilities, technology and workforce development across North Alabama and southern Tennessee.
“We think decisions about local health care should be made locally with you in mind,” Samz said. “Starting today, any profit generated by Crestwood will remain right here in our community to serve you – not sent to shareholders or out of state.”
Hospital officials also addressed concerns about how the transition could affect competition and patient choice in the Huntsville market, saying Crestwood will continue to operate separately within the system.
“We aren’t changing the things that make Crestwood special,” Samz said. “If you’ve chosen Crestwood for your care, that choice remains. Your physicians, your care teams and the experience you value will continue to be here for you. What this partnership allows us to do is better coordinate care, expand services where they’re needed most and make sure our community has the health care capacity it needs as Huntsville continues to grow. We’re bringing together the strengths of both organizations to build something even stronger for North Alabama, because this community is worth it.”
Mike Gillespie, chair of the Crestwood Medical Center Board of Trustees, said the partnership positions the hospital for long-term stability.
“We’re proud of the care the Crestwood team provides every day and excited to continue that work as part of Huntsville Hospital Health System,” Gillespie said. “Crestwood’s focus remains the same – taking care of patients and supporting the health of this community. We’re confident this partnership allows us to do that on an even larger scale, with added stability and new opportunities to reinvest in equipment, technology and infrastructure that will benefit both our patients and caregivers.”
Huntsville Hospital Health System operates 15 hospitals across the region and has served North Alabama for more than 130 years. Leaders said the system will continue investing in expanded access to care, including new freestanding emergency departments in north Huntsville and Hampton Cove and a new outpatient facility in Lawrence County.
“At the end of the day, this is about caring for our community,” Samz said. “We will continue working every day to provide compassionate, high-quality care close to home. We are honored to serve you and are committed to delivering care you can depend on.”
