AN Adelaide company has come to the rescue of Keith & District Hospital, promising stability and business growth into the future.
Western Facilities Management Service will take over day-to-day management from October 1 and provide a chief executive officer and director of nursing.
The community hospital had faced closure after state government cut funding in 2011.
This was followed by a high-profile struggle during the past three years to remain open.
WFMS, which has considerable private hospital expertise, manages Western Hospital at Henley Beach.
Under the agreement, the Keith hospital will remain a community-owned, not-for-profit facility.
The present board is being retained to determine its strategic direction.
For the past 12 months, Country Health SA has provided management services as part of the state government's three-year funding arrangement.
Keith board chairperson Janet Allen said the future of the hospital was secure with the two-year WFMS deal. The company also had the option of a further two-year agreement.
She said core policies had been developed, including contracting and retaining two resident GPs for the medical centre, maintaining levels of accident and emergency services and the focus on quality-accredited residential aged care services.
The hospital will hold a community open day in December.