A Tennessee-based health care company now owns two hospitals in the Tri-Cities.

RCCH HealthCare Partners bought Lourdes Health Network in Pasco on Sept. 1.

The state approved the $21 million Lourdes sale, as well as its conversion from nonprofit to for-profit.

RCCH bought Kennewick’s Trios Health on Aug. 4.

Lourdes had been part of Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system.

The sale includes the two hospitals associated with Lourdes Health Network: Lourdes Medical Center, an acute care hospital operating in Pasco, and Lourdes Counseling Center, a psychiatric hospital in Richland.

“We are honored to be partnering with Lourdes Health Network to help ensure the continued high quality of care they’ve provided for this community,” said Marty Rash, chairman and CEO of RCCH HealthCare Partners, in a statement. “With more than 100 years of service to the people of the region and a well-earned reputation for high quality, compassionate care, we look forward to working with and learning from Lourdes’ associates as well as sharing with them and investing in resources for growth.”

With the change in ownership also comes a change in leadership.

Lourdes CEO and President John Serle stepped down from his post Aug. 31, after the transaction between RCCH and Lourdes closed. He said in a statement that he made the move with a heavy heart.

“RCCH asked me to stay on as CEO, but because of issues related to my change of control agreement, I will not be able to remain at Lourdes. It goes without saying that the last three years have been an uncertain time for the Lourdes Health family. Even so, our team has never wavered in their focus on caring for our patients and their families and their commitment to high quality, compassionate care has always been at the forefront, regardless of the challenge,” Serle said in a statement.

Serle said he believes the future of Lourdes is “bright and exciting.”

“I believe RCCH will be a supportive, diligent and engaged parent organization,” he said.

RCCH has appointed Mark Gregson as interim CEO.

Gregson has more than 35 years of experience in hospital and health care leadership, including more than 20 years as a hospital CEO. He has spent the past 13 years serving hospitals across the country in interim CEO roles, so he is very comfortable and experienced leading organizations through transitions, according to RCCH.

He most recently served as the interim CEO at the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus in Topeka, Kansas.

RCCH officials say they have already begun a national search for the new permanent CEO for Lourdes.

“Once we have identified candidates we will coordinate with the hospital board, hospital leaders, and members of the medical staff to finalize the naming of the new CEO. The great thing about having an interim CEO like Mark is that it allows us the time we need to find the right new leader for your hospital,” RCCH said in a statement.

Lourdes Health has been serving the Mid-Columbia region’s health care needs since 1916.  With more than 17 locations serving the community, the network employs over 900 associates and has more than 300 medical providers.

Through its public private partnership with UW Medicine, RCCH also owns and operates Capital Medical Center in Olympia and Kennewick’s Trios.

RCCH operates 18 regional health systems in 12 states and has more than 15,000 employees and 2,800 affiliated physicians and mid-level providers.