The Oktibbeha County board of supervisors revealed Thursday Memphis, Tenn.-based Baptist Memorial Health Care and Tupelo-based North Mississippi Health Services are among the frontrunners to purchase or lease Starkville, Miss.-based OCH Regional Medical Center, according to the Daily Journal.
The board said both health systems displayed more interest in buying OCH Regional than engaging in a long-term lease of the facility with the option to purchase, according to the report.
Board representatives said they released the names of interested parties after an outpouring of questions related to the future of the hospital, and to allow citizens to research both organizations.
OCH Regional officials said Baptist Memorial Health Care and North Mississippi Health Services' interest in acquiring the facility was not surprising.
"These two health systems are major competitors with each other and would have a very strong interest in protecting their market share by purchasing OCH. So it stands, our patients have access to whichever facility our physicians feel best serves the patient's needs based upon the availability of services and expertise of the staff," OCH Regional officials said in a statement.
"Therefore, it stands to reason that neither system wants the other to own OCH. It's evident that OCH remaining county-owned and operated provides the best possible care for this community."
Area residents have the final say on the potential sale or lease through a referendum scheduled Nov. 7. Negotiations with both health systems will continue after the scheduled vote, officials told the Daily Journal.