One central Georgia hospital officially has a new owner.
Navicent Health bought out Oconee Regional Medical Center and Monday was the new ownership's first full day being in charge.
The first order of business was changing its name from Oconee Regional Medical Center to Navicent Health Baldwin.
"The name is something newer, symbolizing a fresh start, that incorporates the hospital's history and remembers who we are and where we're from," interim hospital CEO Darren Pearce said.
Earlier this year Oconee Regional filed for Chapter 11 protection in bankruptcy court claming they had more than $10 million in liabilities.
Oconee said they were suffering from financial problems like many rural hospitals -- due to aging populations, declining government payments, more patients being uninsured, and having less patients overall.
They say they cut costs as much as they could, and that hospital officials believed their only way out was to sell.
A California company and Navicent both bid for the hospital and the judge named Navicent the winner in late June.
The price tag for the hospital has yet to be disclosed. Navicent also owns the medical center in Peach County.