The new year is certain to bring a new wave of hospital mergers, as does almost every year — at the pace of about 100 deals annually. The research is important because the rate of hospital mergers shows no signs of abating; the pace of deals remains strong and their value has been consistently increasing as big hospital systems sweep up smaller chains. The clinical impact of hospital mergers has been harder to pin down than the financial consequences. The new study compared patient experiences and outcomes at 246 hospitals acquired from 2009 through 2013 with similar data from 1,986 unacquired control hospitals. Researchers found a consistent decline in patient experience scores after hospital mergers (Graph A), but no consistent improvement in clinical measures.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 02, 2020 22:30 UTC