Representatives of Atlanta’s Saint Joseph’s Hospital presented formal proposals for a regional hospital to Putnam County’s health care taskforce members Wednesday.

In the proposals, Putnam County would join with Greene and Morgan counties to form a tri-county, regional hospital built near Greene County’s Linger Longer Road near Reynold’s Plantation. Saint Joseph’s already has acquired Greene County’s certificate of need with the purchase of Minnie G. Boswell Memorial Hospital, and its representatives are in talks with Morgan County about acquiring their certificate of need, Putnam County Board of Commission Chairman Howard McMichael, who sits on the taskforce, said.

“I had thought that the talks had ceased, but I was wrong,” McMichael said. “[Saint Joseph’s Hospital Chief Executive Officer] Kirk Wilson said that they’re still talking with Morgan County, so it’s still feasible that all three counties could enter into a regional hospital.”

Saint Joseph’s would have to buy Putnam General Hospital and its certificate of need in order to form the regional hospital, but just what to do with the 40-year-old hospital, its facilities and employees is still up for debate.

“What they want to do is combine the three counties, buy the certificate of need from the hospital, and place the money they paid for the certificate of need in a fund to pay for charity and indigent care in Putnam County,” Darrell Oglesby, Putnam General Hospital Administrator and taskforce ex officio member, said. “They would open up an urgent care center at PGH and operate it for eight to 12 hours per day, but probably not at similar hours with local primary care doctors.”

Nothing is final and uses as varied as a home health office, office space, long-term and personal care beds were discussed as possible future uses for PGH, Oglesby said.

Saint Joseph’s once had hoped to obtain a non-binding letter of intent from PGH by May 31, but Oglesby said that target date will change. The administrator placed in late June or July the likely window for Putnam General Hospital Authority board members to make a decision whether to sell their certificate of need.

Authority board members meet Monday, and taskforce members will present them with Saint Joseph’s proposals.

A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29 in the Plaza Arts Center.

“There will be no discussions of decisions being made until after that meeting,” Oglesby said. “People need to go to that meeting on the 29th to listen to the presentation by representatives of Saint Joseph’s. That way they can offer feedback to the taskforce, the authority board members and the county commissioners.”

Public feedback is vital to the decision making process, McMichael said.

“We want the general public to be informed,” he said. “This is the public’s hospital, and we want everything to be done out in the open.”

The regional hospital could accommodate about 75 beds and introduce specialists to the area, allowing area patients to get specialist health services nearby rather than going to Augusta, Atlanta or Macon as many currently are forced to do.