Mission sale: Good for WNC, or just HCA?

Smaller, less-profitable hospital nets twice the price 

By Peter H. Lewis
AVL Watchdog


Years from now, the decision in 2018 by the directors of Mission Health to sell to HCA Healthcare might be seen as a brilliant strategic maneuver, one that guaranteed affordable, high-quality healthcare for future generations of western North Carolinians. This was, and still is, the position of the directors and executives who pushed the deal.

Dogwood Health Trust CEO steps down

The Dogwood Health Trust Board of Directors announced today that Antony Chiang is stepping down from his role as Chief Executive Officer. The Board expects to appoint an interim CEO while conducting a search for a permanent leader.

Expanded access to Paycheck Protection Program

Mountain BizWorks, working with Dogwood Health Trust, announced today a targeted effort to provide increased access to the highly anticipated Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program for nonprofits and small businesses in the region, with a focus on rural and minority and women-led organizations.

DHT, health departments parter for better access to testing

To support efforts to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19 in Western North Carolina, Dogwood Health Trust is partnering with multiple rural county health departments throughout the 18-county and Qualla Boundary to increase access to COVID-19 testing specifically to support contact tracing efforts. Dogwood has been working for weeks to source test kits from private labs to support health department efforts in rural areas of the region. 

Dogwood partners with Kitsbow to make masks

The Board of Directors for Dogwood Health Trust recently approved the allocation of $10 million to address COVID-19 needs throughout the 18 county and Qualla boundary region of Western North Carolina.

Dogwood Health Trust responds to COVID-19

In a Zoom call Wednesday, Dogwood Health Trust CEO Antony Chiang announced the foundation has committed $10 million to spend on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic that has now hit Western North Carolina. 

Proceeds from Mission Health sale to benefit WNC communities

How can $1.5 billion transform the health and wellness of Western North Carolina communities for decades to come? That’s the question Dogwood Health Trust’s Board of Directors is currently asking itself since the new foundation was tasked with spending the proceeds from Mission Health’s sale to HCA Healthcare last year. 

Hospital foundations find new mission

Following HCA Healthcare’s purchase of the Mission Health System, the nonprofit foundations that have supported Mission’s hospitals for so long had the choice to dissolve or find a new mission. 

Dogwood hires search firm to find director

As all of Mission’s legacy foundations establish their new mission and board of directors, Dogwood Health Trust is in the process of looking for the right person to lead the new private charity foundation.  

Dogwood Health Trust now in operation

With the completion of Mission Health System’s sale of assets to HCA Healthcare, Dogwood Health Trust is now officially operating as a private, nonprofit foundation with the purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities in Western North Carolina.

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