Hospital Takeovers, Medical Tourism And Workforce Issues
News outlets report on an unsolicited hospital takeover bid involving the largest publicly traded hospital company. Meanwhile, in Detroit, high-powered treatment teams are drawing patients from across the country and the world, creating a boon of prestige and resources for local hospitals. Finally, a new study finds the number of pediatricians nationwide is ample, but it all comes down to location.
Bloomberg: Community Health To Push Tenet Board Nominees To Advance Hostile Takeover
Community Health Systems Inc., the largest publicly traded hospital company, plans to nominate directors for Tenet Healthcare Corp. to advance an unsolicited $3.3 billion takeover bid. Community Health's plan to sponsor board candidates is "solely to help advance its inadequate and opportunistic proposal," Tenet said today in a statement. The bid of $6 a share, consisting of $5 in cash and $1 in stock, was announced Dec. 9, and rejected by Dallas-based Tenet as "not remotely fair value" (Armstrong, 12/20).
The Associated Press: Community Health To Nominate Tenet Board Directors
Community Health, based in Franklin, Tenn., did not say how many directors it intended to nominate, but it noted that Tenet's entire board is up for reelection. Earlier this month, Community took its offer of $6 per share for the Dallas-based company public to rally shareholder support after Tenet's board rejected the deal as inadequate. Including assumed debt, the company values the deal at about $7.3 billion (12/20).
Detroit Free Press: Search For World's Best Health Care Is Leading More People To Michigan
In a state better known for its autos and sports teams, Michigan hospitals draw patients from as far away as India, Brazil and Turkey in a form of reverse medical tourism. Patients come to seek out several dozen high-powered medical teams for cancer treatment, spinal cord rehabilitation, epilepsy and blinding eye conditions in babies, among other care. The international and domestic patients bring prestige and revenue to hospitals eager for cash-paying customers (Anstett, 12/21).
The Associated Press: Study Maps Need For Kids' Doctors In Rural Areas
There are enough children's doctors in the United States, they just work in the wrong places, a new study finds. Some wealthy areas are oversaturated with pediatricians and family doctors. Other parts of the nation have few or none. Nearly 1 million kids live in areas with no local children's doctor. By moving doctors, the study suggests, it would be possible for every child to have a pediatrician or family physician nearby (Johnson, 12/20).