Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Colorado Hospital Shuttered Because Of Wildfire Smoke Damage
Becker's Hospital Review: Smoke Damage Closes Colorado Hospital For Foreseeable Future
Centura-Avista Adventist Hospital — the only full-service hospital in Louisville, Colo. — has closed for the foreseeable future due to smoke damage from the Marshall fire that spread across Boulder County. "There are no care services available at the hospital at this time. Patients who are in need of immediate care should go to the nearest hospital to receive services, or if you are having a life threatening emergency, please call 911," the hospital said in a statement Jan. 1. (Carbajal, 1/4)
In other health care industry news —
Philadelphia Inquirer: Delaware County Memorial Hospital Is Closing Its Birthing Unit
Crozer Health plans to close the maternity and neonatal intensive care units at Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and consolidate services at the larger Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, about 12 miles away. The changes will be effective Jan. 21, Crozer said Monday. A statement said it “is exploring transportation options for patients who may struggle with reliable transportation.” Crozer, owned by the for-profit Prospect Medical Holdings Inc., is making the change “to be able to continue providing the highest-quality care and maintain staffing and services for our community,” Crozer’s statement said. (Brubaker, 1/4)
Modern Healthcare: HCA Purchases Florida Urgent Care Network
HCA Healthcare has acquired the largest urgent network in Florida, the for-profit health system announced Tuesday. The Nashville, Tennessee-based hospital chain closed its purchase of MD Now Urgent Care and its 59 locations last month. Prior to the deal, HCA Healthcare operated 170 urgent care facilities around the U.S. "The addition of MD Now Urgent Care in Florida enhances our already strong capabilities in a rapidly growing state by providing convenient outpatient care options for our patients," HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen said in a news release. "It also connects MD Now patients to a comprehensive statewide network of care, including acute care and specialty services should they be needed." (Devereaux, 1/4)
Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Anchor Network Becomes Independent Not-For-Profit Organization
The Healthcare Anchor Network, a collective of more than 1,000 hospitals that encourages community-focused purchasing, hiring and investment, said Tuesday it has officially become an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Since its founding in 2017, the Washington, D.C.-based group had been a program within the not-for-profit research group The Democracy Collaborative. But leaders determined that HAN, which now has 70 health system members with more than $150 billion in assets that purchase over $75 billion annually, could stand on its own. (Bannow, 1/4)
Modern Healthcare: Health Systems Eye Outpatient Sector As Hospital M&A Continues To Slump
Annual hospital merger transaction activity sunk to the lowest level in more than a decade, a new report shows. Announced deals dropped to 71 in 2021, the lowest mark since 2009 and the fourth consecutive annual decline, according to the healthcare advisory firm Ponder & Co. The COVID-19 pandemic's disruption paused many planned transactions, as relief funding and reimbursement cut delays allowed many health systems to hold steady, experts said. "Buyers are much more selective and judicious when it comes to taking on potentially challenged assets, questioning whether they can make it work in this environment," said Jake Aygun, director of Ponder's M&A group. (Kacik, 1/4)
Also —
Chicago Tribune: Northwestern To Launch New Institute To Study Aging
Some people look and act younger than they are. Others seem to age prematurely, acquiring wrinkles, gray hair and an assortment of health problems earlier than their peers. Now, a new institute at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine will aim to find out why, and whether there’s a way to slow or reverse the aging process and the toll it can take on people’s health. The Potocsnak Longevity Institute, which is launching this month, will focus on research related to aging, and on treating patients suffering from its effects. (Schencker, 1/4)
