Becker's Spine Review

58 HEALTHCARE NEWS Tenet continues hospital sell-off spree with deals in Illinois, Texas By Ayla Ellison D allas-based Tenet Healthcare divested a Chica- go-area hospital and sold its minority interest in four Texas hospitals. Tenet completed the sale of MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Ill., and its local physician practices to Chicago-based Loyola Medicine, which is part of Livonia, Mich.-based Trin- ity Health. MacNeal Hospital includes 374 acute care beds, a 12-bed rehabilitation unit, a 25-bed inpatient skilled nursing facility and a 68-bed behavioral health program. "We look forward to serving a greater number of patients through our expanded delivery network, thanks to the re- sources, providers and value-added care made possible by adding MacNeal Hospital and its physicians to our system," Larry M. Goldberg, president and CEO of Loyola Medicine and Trinity Health's Illinois region, said in a statement. Tenet also announced the completion of several other deals on Feb. 2. The company sold its minority interest in Baylor Scott & White-Centennial in Frisco, Texas, and Baylor Scott & White-Lake Pointe in Rowlett, Texas, to Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health. The company transferred its minority interest in Baylor Scott & White-Sunnyvale (Texas) to Texas Health Ventures Group, which is a joint venture between Tenet's United Surgical Partners International subsidiary and Baylor Scott & White Health. Tenet also sold its minority interest in Baylor Scott & White Medical Cen- ter-White Rock in Dallas to Pipeline Health, a hospital man- agement company based in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Tenet ended the fourth quarter of 2017 with a net loss of $230 million, compared to a net loss of $79 million in the same period the year prior. To improve its financial posi- tion, Tenet launched a $250 million cost reduction initiative last year, which involves divesting hospitals in non-core markets and cutting 2,000 jobs, or about 2 percent of the company's workforce. Tenet's hospital divestiture plan is expected to yield more than $1 billion of proceeds. In the first quarter of 2018, Ten- et received $550 million of cash proceeds from the dives- titure of MacNeal Hospital, the sale of its minority interest in the Texas hospitals and the sale of two hospitals in Phil- adelphia. n Anesthesiology group launches ad campaign decrying Atrium Health's decision to switch providers By Alyssa Rege A Charlotte, N.C.-based anesthesiology group that was recently passed over for a contract renewal by Char- lotte-based Atrium Health launched an ad campaign protesting the health system's deci- sion, claiming Atrium's new service provider will "seriously jeopardize patient safety," according to a Charlotte Observer report. Atrium Health opted not to renew a nearly 40- year agreement with Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants earlier this year, stating SAC was not willing to lower costs to Atrium's satisfac- tion or introduce a new operating model, ac- cording to the report. Instead, the health sys- tem plans to replace SAC with Charlotte-based Scope Anesthesia of North Carolina once its contract with SAC expires June 30. is past weekend, SAC launched an ad cam- paign and website decrying Atrium's move to switch providers, arguing the health system did so to increase profits, not necessarily to lower patients' bills. SAC also contended Atri- um plans to adopt a radically different operat- ing model that places greater reliance on nurse anesthetists, e Charlotte Observer reports. "Conglomerate hospital behemoths like Car- olinas HealthCare System — now Atrium Health — can have unhealthy consequences for patients and their communities," the website reads. "is dangerous precedent would allow the system's management to set standards for practicing medicine, rather than having clini- cians determine what's best for their patients." However, Tom Wherry, MD, founder of Scope, Atrium's forthcoming anesthesiology services provider, previously said physician staffing will not decrease when the transition is completed. Dr. Wherry told e Charlotte Observer his business model involves paying physicians the same or more than SAC did, and noted Scope will be able to provide anes- thesiology services at lower costs. "I can say with confidence the revenue, instead of going to Florida and to Wall Street, it's going to stay here in Charlotte for patient care and for support of the community," he said. "Since 2014, due to ongoing concerns we have had with Mednax, Atrium Health has transi- tioned away from Mednax to other anesthesia providers in four other Atrium Health facili- ties. Each of these transitions has been seam- less and maintained or enhanced quality and patient satisfaction. Our physician leadership at Atrium Health, including our surgeon-in- chief, fully supports our new approach to an- esthesia services, as it will continue to enhance safety, high quality care and affordability," Atri- um Health said in a March 21 memo to em- ployees, obtained by Becker's Hospital Review. "Atrium Health highly values and respects the anesthesiologists currently practicing at Atri- um Health facilities, and it is Atrium Health's preference that there are no changes in our an- esthesiologist providers. We have requested Mednax to allow these physicians to continue to practice at Atrium Health. is is a decision, however, that is solely for Mednax to make." n A

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