Science

New Management at Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute

July 10th, 2013

Warm Springs, Ga., and its medical facilities were once known around the world.

Now, Georgia Regents Medical Center, based in Augusta, is dipping its toes in the water to consider spearheading a comeback.

A broadcast version of this story

The medical center has signed a one-year contract with the state to manage Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute, a 100-bed hospital and rehabilitation facility.

CEO David S. Hefner says he wants to make the state asset more available, telling WABE, “We have what you could call one of those proverbial diamonds in the rough that probably has been under-managed over time.”

The facility’s new executive director just started this week, and Hefner says due diligence will be the top priority in the next 12 months. But he’s already started thinking about the possibilities. “There’s maybe wounded warrior programs that could be done onsite,” says Hefner. “We could think also of longer term rehabilitative services and convalescence that we could use Warm Springs for. And then when they need certain acute care services, be able to move them into Augusta and then move them back to rehab in more of a spa like setting. “

The state will continue to run the 1000-acre campus and the vocational rehabilitation program.