12 Recent Hospital Transactions and Partnerships

The following hospital mergers, acquisitions and general transactions took place within the past week, beginning with the most recent.

1. UMass Memorial, Baystate Health Consider Collaboration
Worcester, Mass.-based UMass Memorial Health Care and Baystate Health in Springfield, Mass., signed a nonbinding letter of intent to explore possible opportunities for collaboration.

2. Bishop's Rejection Leads to Restructuring of Catholic Health, Summa Partnership
Cincinnati-based Catholic Health Partners is restructuring a proposed deal to become a minority owner of Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health System in response to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland's rejection of the strategic partnership.

3. Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Cheshire Medical Center Explore "Closer Affiliation"
Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene (N.H.) and Dartmouth-Hitchcock entered into negotiations to explore a "closer affiliation" from their current agreement. 

4. Tulare Regional Medical Center Begins Partnership Search
Tulare (Calif.) Regional Medical Center, a 112-bed public hospital, began a valuation process to find a lease or affiliation partner.

5. Boards Approve Merger of Rochester General, Unity Health
The boards of directors of Rochester (N.Y.) General Health System and Unity Health System, also based in Rochester, signed a merger agreement that will combine the two systems into one organization.

6. PinnacleHealth, J.C. Blair Progress Toward Partnership
J.C. Blair Health System, based in Huntingdon, Pa., and Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth System signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding, a step forward in the two organizations' ongoing process of forming a partnership.

7. CharterCare, Prospect Medical Holdings Sign Definitive Asset Purchase Deal
Providence, R.I.-based CharterCare Health Partners and Santa Ana, Calif.-based Prospect Medical Holdings signed a definitive asset purchase agreement to form a joint venture.

8. New HMA Board Moves Forward With CHS Merger
The new board of directors at Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates took steps to evaluate and move forward with the company's pending $7.6 billion merger with Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems.

9. Tampa General, Florida Hospital Strike Partnership
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital and the Florida Hospital Tampa Bay Network, a system of five Tampa-area acute-care hospitals, signed an agreement to develop new clinical programs and services together.

10. Community Medical Center in Montana Considers Affiliation
Community Medical Center, an independent hospital located in Missoula, Mont., hired financial advisory firm Cain Brothers & Co. to determine if the hospital should stay independent or consider an affiliation with another provider.

11. Natchez Regional Medical Center Has 3 Potential Bidders
Three healthcare organizations have agreed to participate in a "stalking horse" bidding process concerning the sale of Natchez (Miss.) Regional Medical Center.

12. Report: St. Vincent Health System May Acquire Mercy Hot Springs
St. Vincent Health System in Little Rock, Ark., reportedly offered to buy Mercy Hospital Hot Springs (Ark.).

More Articles on Transactions and Valuations Issues:
Report: St. Vincent Health System May Acquire Mercy Hot Springs
House Committee Holds Hearing on Healthcare Consolidation
Adventist Health to Buy, Restructure Corcoran District Hospital