22 March 2010

Vanguard to Buy Eight-Hospital Detroit Medical Center for $417 Million

Becker's Hospital Review


Vanguard Health Systems plans to buy eight-hospital Detroit Medical Center, Michigan's largest healthcare system, for $417 million and spend $850 million more in improvements over 15 years, according to a joint release from both parties in the deal.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanguard is a for-profit healthcare system that typically takes bankrupt or near-bankrupt hospitals and turns them into for-profit facilities, the Detroit Free Press reports. It operates 15 hospitals in Illinois, Arizona, Texas and Massachusetts and had $3.2 billion in reserves as of 2009.

The letter of intent between the two parties, which must be approved by city, county and state authorities, stipulates:

• All of the medical center's hospitals would stay open and maintain their charity obligations for at least 10 years.

• Vanguard would retire all of the medical center's outstanding bonds and other long-term debts, including pension contributions.
 
• Vanguard would spend $75.1 million for a new Detroit heart treatment institute.
 
• Vanguard would apply to create an economic zone around the medical center campus to gain federal funding.
 
• A regional advisory board made up of four members from Vanguard and three from the medical center will oversee the operation.
 
Detroit Medical Center Chair Steve D'Arcy and the DMC board will remain.
 
• The agreement would be voided on June 1 if the two parties cannot agree on the provisions.

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