The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and general transactions took place or were announced during the month of March.
1. UNC Health Care, Wake Forest Baptist ink deal to transition ownership of High Point Regional
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health Care signed a binding agreement March 8 to transfer ownership of High Point (N.C.) Regional Health.
2. Cleveland Clinic + 4 others among finalists to partner with Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital entered into negotiations with five health systems March 8 to potentially form a strategic partnership.
3. Trinity Health in talks to sell New Jersey assets to Virtua Health 3 months after failed merger
Carbondale, Pa.-based Maxis Health reportedly entered into a nonbinding agreement March 8 to sell Lourdes Health System, a two-hospital system in Camden, N.J., to Virtua Health.
4. Cleveland Clinic, Avita Health System partner on cancer care
The Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center and Avita Health System, a three-hospital system in Galion, Ohio, launched their affiliation March 6 to expand patients' access to oncology and specialized treatment services.
5. State endorses Beth Israel Deaconess, Lahey Health proposed merger: 4 things to know
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved the proposed merger between Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.-based Lahey Health and three other healthcare organizations March 5.
6. State OKs Southern New Hampshire Health, Elliot Hospital combination
The New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General signed off on the proposed combination of Manchester, N.H.-based Elliot Health System and Nashua-based Southern New Hampshire Health March 5.
7. UAB Health System signs second affiliation agreement in 4 weeks
Birmingham-based UAB Health System signed a strategic and operational affiliation March 5 with Infirmary Health, a five-hospital system in Mobile, Ala.
8. UPMC finalizes affiliation with Cole Memorial Hospital
Coudersport, Pa.-based Cole Memorial Hospital officially completed its integration with Pittsburgh-based UPMC March 1.
9. Ascension expands footprint with acquisition of Presence Health: 4 things to know
St. Louis-based Ascension Health, the largest nonprofit health system in the nation and the largest Catholic health system in the world, has finalized its acquisition of Presence Health, a Catholic health system in Chicago.
10. UCSF Health, Sonoma Valley Hospital ink affiliation agreement: 5 things to know
San Francisco-based UCSF Health and Sonoma (Calif.) Valley Hospital signed an affiliation agreement March 1 to create an integrated healthcare network.
11. Columbus Regional finalizes merger with Piedmont Healthcare
Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare officially integrated Columbus (Ga.) Regional Health March 1, making Piedmont a 10-hospital system.
12. Ardent finalizes joint venture with U of Texas to acquire Texas health system
Nashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health Services and Tyler, Texas-based UT Health Northeast finalized their joint purchase of East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, also in Tyler, March 1.
13. Quorum Health sells 70-bed Illinois hospital
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health completed the sale of 70-bed Vista Medical Center West in Waukegan, Ill., to New York City-based US HealthVest on March 1.
14. Mercy Health hospital, Prima Healthcare to merge
Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown (Ohio) Hospital signed a letter of intent March 15 to integrate Prima Healthcare, an independent physician practice with offices in Salem, Columbiana and Boardman, Ohio, and its providers into the system.
15. Atrium Health ends 40-year partnership with anesthesiologist group: 5 takeaways
Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health reportedly ended a nearly 40-year contract agreement with Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants, a roughly 100-member physician group in Charlotte.
16. Cleveland Clinic to explore partnership with Martin Health System
Cleveland Clinic entered into an agreement to potentially integrate Stuart, Fla.-based Martin Health System as a full member, the three-hospital system announced March 22.
17. 3 major Mississippi health systems reveal proposals for OCH Regional affiliation
Board members from Starkville, Miss.-based OCH Regional Medical Center met with representatives from three major health systems March 22 to discuss their proposals for a potential affiliation.
18. HCA looks to expand into North Carolina with acquisition of Mission Health
The board of Mission Health, a six-hospital, nonprofit system based in Asheville, N.C., has signed a letter of intent to join Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.
19. Advocate, Aurora Health Care merger clears final regulatory hurdle
Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care and Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care announced March 22 they received the last approval necessary to finalize their proposed merger and become the 10th largest nonprofit health system in the nation.
20. California AG approves Adventist, Rideout Health affiliation
The California Office of the Attorney General reportedly approved the proposed affiliation between Adventist Health, a 19-hospital system in Roseville, Calif., and Rideout Health, the Marysville, Calif.-based health system announced March 20.
21. LifePoint sells 3 Louisiana hospitals
Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health is selling three Louisiana hospitals to Allegiance Health Management in Shreveport, La.
22. U of Mississippi Medical Center, Memorial Hospital to collaborate
Memorial Hospital at Gulfport (Miss.) and Jackson-based Children's of Mississippi, part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, also in Jackson, formed a pediatric collaboration to enhance care services for area residents.
23. Unanimous vote may help prevent sale of Greenville Health System: 4 things to know
The 14-member board of trustees of the Greenville Health Authority, which oversees the lease agreement between trustees and the Greenville (S.C.) Health System board of directors, unanimously voted March 19 to approve several measures designed to end discussions regarding the potential sale of the health system.
24. KentuckyOne extends reach by affiliating with 90-bed hospital
Lexington-based KentuckyOne Health has entered into an affiliation agreement with Taylor Regional Hospital, a 90-bed facility in Campbellsville, Ky.
25. Hackensack Meridian Health, Carrier Clinic explore partnership
Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Carrier Clinic, a behavioral health provider based in Belle Mead, N.J., signed a letter of intent March 15 to explore a partnership that seeks to expand behavioral healthcare in the region.
26. Mercy Health hospital, Prima Healthcare to merge
Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown (Ohio) Hospital signed a letter of intent March 15 to integrate Prima Healthcare, an independent physician practice with offices in Salem, Columbiana and Boardman, Ohio, and its providers into the system.
27. Health Quest, Western Connecticut Health Network to combine
LaGrangeville, N.Y.-based Health Quest and Danbury-based Western Connecticut Health Network revealed plans to merge into a seven-hospital system, the organizations announced March 28.
28. Marin General to receive $100M+ over 10 years under potential alliance with UCSF
UC San Francisco and Marin General Hospital are reportedly in the midst of finalizing a 10-year strategic alliance that would bring the Greenbrae, Calif., hospital more than $100 million during the next decade.
29. Rite Aid completes 1,932-store divestiture to Walgreens
Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid completed its planned store divestiture to Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens Boots Alliance, Rite Aid announced March 28.
30. WSJ: Ascension, Providence St. Joseph halt merger negotiations
St. Louis-based Ascension and Renton, Wash.-based Providence St. Joseph Health reportedly shelved negotiations regarding a proposed merger, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
31. CHS to sell 3 Tennessee hospitals
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems signed a definitive agreement to sell three of its assets in Tennessee to Jackson-based West Tennessee Healthcare, the 127-hospital system announced March 27.
32. Jefferson, Einstein Healthcare Network to explore merger
Jefferson Health and Einstein Healthcare Network, both in Philadelphia, signed a nonbinding letter of intent to merge, Jefferson Health confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review March 27.
33. Vatican approves Cabell Huntington's acquisition of St. Mary's
The Vatican approved the proposed acquisition of Huntington, W.Va.-based St. Mary's Medical Center by Cabell Huntington (W. Va.) Hospital, Cabell Huntington announced March 26.
34. Ascension to sell Connecticut hospital to Hartford HealthCare
St. Louis-based Ascension signed a nonbinding letter of intent to transfer ownership of one of its Connecticut-based assets to Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare, Ascension announced March 27.