The Scotland Health Care System Board of Trustees has entered into a long-term management agreement with Carolinas HealthCare System of Charlotte.

The board vote taken last Friday was unanimous. The deal is expected to become effective April 1.

“We are delighted to partner with Carolinas HealthCare System to keep our hospital system strong. They have a wonderful reputation throughout North and South Carolina for assisting community hospitals and delivering on their commitments,” said Jim Mason, chairman of the Scotland Health Care System Board of Trustees.

Mason added that local governance, ownership, and decision-making of the 104-bed hospital will continue.

“We remain community owned, with a local board, functioning and making decisions as we always have,” he said. “We have not been bought nor have we merged. CHS has an entire division of staff devoted to helping their managed hospitals expand services while improving patient care and operations. They will also help us as we pursue projects with our current clinical and strategic partners such as FirstHealth, Duke and UNC, all of whom are not opposed to this affiliation.”

Mason said the decision came after a Strategic Planning Task Force composed of community leaders including past board chairmen, physician leaders and senior management spent nearly a year of assessing the hospital system's strengths, opportunities and challenges.

“Knowing the financial challenges of the overall economy and the hospital industry in particular, the board wanted to make their decision from a position of strength, not when we had no choice,” Mason said. “Both the task force and the board unanimously decided that a management agreement with CHS best met our overall goal of maintaining a strong, locally owned and governed hospital system. We are in very uncertain and challenging times, which we expect to continue for several years. We fully support Greg Wood, our CEO, and his management team. We believe the expertise that comes with such a strong and well-regarded system like CHS will give us the support we need to keep providing excellent care to our community well into the future.”

Carolinas HealthCare System is the largest health care system in the Carolinas, and the third largest non-profit public system in the nation.

CHS owns, leases or manages 23 hospitals in North and South Carolina, including Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte and CMC-NorthEast in Concord, a 457-bed medical center, which is home to Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital.

“It is a true honor for us to be chosen for this enhanced relationship with Scotland Health Care System, " said Michael C. Tarwater, CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System. "We are excited about working with the physicians, hospital employees and the board to continue to deliver high quality healthcare in Scotland County and the surrounding area.”