Patricia Wagner, a Member of the Firm in the Health Care and Life Sciences and Litigation practices, in the Washington, DC, office, was quoted in an article titled "Varying Degrees of Consolidation: Why Creativity Matters in Hospital Transactions."
Following is an excerpt:
In midst of heightened scrutiny, a three-system merger in Kentucky has exemplified innovative strategies to meet public, regulatory and religious approval in the past year. The deal, while not finalized, has managed to break the mold in a few different ways and has sparked a discussion over the importance of creativity in healthcare transactions.
"The FTC is much more active than it has been in the past," says Patricia Wagner. "It's an interesting dynamic. At the same time, we're seeing a lot of organizations trying or thinking about trying different ways to coordinate their care together. It seems everybody is striving to figure out how to coordinate more closely, and [organizations] are experimenting with a variety of arrangements."
Hospitals have not only become creative in how they move deals forward, but how they design them in the first place. Patient-centered medical homes, accountable care programs, accountable care organizations, clinical affiliations, management or leasing agreements are just a few of the options available.
"There are many physician groups working with hospitals or payors to create different ways to coordinate care," Ms. Wagner says, citing these as "not traditional" mergers. "Still, that doesn't mean there aren't traditional mergers or acquisitions going on," she says. "It's a buffet right now."
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