Missouri Medical Group Applies to Build $1 Million Hospital

Patients First Health Care, a 70-physician medical group in Washington, Mo., filed a letter of intent with the state to build a $1 million hospital with three beds and a 24-hour emergency department in Washington, according to a report in the St. Louis Business Journal.

The physicians created a nonprofit corporation to own and operate the facility and plan to add it to their existing ambulatory surgery center, cancer center and physician offices, according to the report. Construction is expected to start as soon as the physicians receive a green light from the state's certificate of need office, which is set to review it at a May 10 meeting.

St. John's Mercy Health Care, which operates St. John's Mercy Hospital in Washington, opposes the hospital proposal and last fall revoked the privileges of several Patients First cardiologists because the hospital was entering into an exclusive agreement with another physician group, according to the report.

Read the St. Louis Business Journal report on Patients First Health Care.