CoxHealth sells nursing home, keeps property

Regional Care of Missouri LLC is purchasing the operations of Primrose Place Nursing Home from CoxHealth, the health system said Tuesday.

In a transaction that should close by July 1, Regional Care will buy Primrose Place's 135 licensed beds for an undisclosed price, with plans to buy property in Springfield and build a new facility, called The Maples, to house the former Primrose Place. Completion is expected in 18 months to 24 months, according to a CoxHealth news release.

Regional Care's affiliate, The Maples Health and Rehabilitation LLC, will operate the new facility.

All 162 Primrose employees will be given the option to transition to Regional Care when the transaction is completed, and their past service and pay rates will not change, according to the release. Primrose residents will continue to receive services with "no measurable difference" in rates, the release said.

CoxHealth, meanwhile, will retain ownership of the Primrose Place building and five acres of property at 1115 E. Primrose St. The land, which is next to the main CoxHealth campus, is "necessary for further expansion of hospital-related clinical services," the release said.

CoxHealth began long-range discussions about the 30-year-old Primrose Place about two years ago because of its age, according to the release. The health system opted to sell the operations rather than rebuild the facility, and Regional Care was selected after a six-month national search.

Regional Care operates facilities in Springfield, Nixa and Republic as Christian Health Care.