6 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. Duke LifePoint Healthcare acquires WestCare Health System
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Duke LifePoint Healthcare acquired Sylva, N.C.-based WestCare Health System.

2. Bayhealth, Peninsula Regional Medical Center partner for population health
Dover, Del.-based Bayhealth and Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md., announced they are entering into a non-financial partnership to form HealthPartners Delmarva, a new organization through which the hospitals will share best practices and focus on collaborating to improve patient care.

3. Legacy Healthcare acquires St. Matthew Center for Health
Lincolnwood, Ill.-based Legacy Healthcare acquired Park Ridge, Ill.-based St. Matthew Center for Health, part of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, for $10.5 million and renamed the facility Avantara Park Ridge.

4. UnitedHealthcare, Tenet sign in-network access contract
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare signed a three-year contract that provides UnitedHealthcare members with in-network access to Tenet's facilities throughout the country.

5. Ascension signs letter of intent to sell 2 Missouri hospitals to Prime Healthcare Services
Carondelet Health in Kansas City, Mo., a part of St. Louis-based Ascension, signed a letter of intent to allow Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare Services to acquire St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City and St. Mary's Medical Center in Blue Springs, Mo.

6. Aetna, Geisinger Health System sign contract allowing in-network access
Health insurer Aetna and Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System signed a five-year contract that allows Aetna members to receive in-network access at all of Geisinger's facilities in Pennsylvania.

More articles on transaction and valuation issues:

Yale-New Haven Health System, Milford Hospital explore partnership
Economists oppose Partners, South Shore merger