The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and general transactions took place or were announced during the past week.
1. Ascension, Providence St. Joseph in talks to merge, dethrone HCA as largest hospital operator: 5 takeaways
St. Louis-based Ascension and Renton, Wash.-based Providence St. Joseph Health are reportedly discussing a potential merger that, if successful, would make the combined nonprofit entity the largest hospital operator in the nation.
2. New York hedge fund in talks to purchase KentuckyOne hospital
BlueMountain Capital Management, a New York-based hedge fund, is reportedly the prime candidate to purchase Louisville, Ky.-based Jewish Hospital, a Louisville-based KentuckyOne Health facility.
3. Otsego Memorial Hospital joins Munson Healthcare
Gaylord, Mich.-based Otsego Memorial Hospital will officially join Traverse City, Mich.-based Munson Healthcare.
4. New York hospital partners with St. Joseph's Health, U of Rochester Medical Center
Auburn (N.Y.) Community Hospital is partnering with Syracuse, N.Y.-based St. Joseph's Health and University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center to expand access to care.
5. Carolinas HealthCare, UNC Health Care merger discussions to stretch into 2018
Officials at Charlotte, N.C.-based Carolinas HealthCare System and Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health Care said merger discussions between the two systems will continue into 2018.
6. Nebraska Medicine, RCCH considering partnership opportunity with Fremont Health
Senior leaders at Fremont (Neb.) Health said during a meeting Monday evening the health system will continue exploring strategic partnership opportunities with several large-scale health systems to improve the health and wellness of residents in the community.
7. West Virginia hospital partners with UPMC children's hospital for OB-GYN care
Mon Health Medical Center in Morgantown, W.Va., is partnering with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to improve access to newborn care at the Mon Health Family Birth Center.
8. FTC completes 30-day review, does not publicly contest MSHA-Wellmont merger
The Federal Trade Commission finished its 30-day review of the proposed Kingsport, Tenn.-based Wellmont Health System and Johnson City, Tenn.-based Mountain States Health Alliance Nov. 29 and has yet to issue any indication it plans to contest the merger.
9. UCHealth acquires 2 hospitals, 17 freestanding emergency rooms
Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth has acquired 17 freestanding emergency rooms and two hospitals it operated in partnership with Lewisville, Texas-based Adeptus Health.