Transactions & Valuation Issues

Capella Healthcare in Franklin, Tenn., and Mercy Health in Oklahoma City, sponsor of St. Joseph's Mercy Health System in Hot Springs, Ark., have signed an agreement "in principle" to explore the sale of St. Joseph's Mercy to Capella Healthcare, according…

Preliminary figures for the first quarter of 2012 show 249 deals were announced in 13 healthcare sectors worth a total of $34 billion, according to an Irving Levin Associates report.

The following hospital mergers and acquisitions took place within the past week, beginning with the most recent.

Hillsboro (N.D.) Medical Center and Sanford Health based in the Dakotas have agreed to a letter of intent for an affiliation.

The surgeons of Premier Surgery Center of Louisville, a Surgical Care Affiliates facility, plan to leave their downtown location for a new $6 million facility currently under construction, according to a Louisville Business First report.

Westerly (R.I.) Hospital Holdco, a limited liability company, has submitted an official letter of intent for the acquisition of Westerly Hospital.

The Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyo., and the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Cheyenne, Wyo., have announced they are strongly considering creating a partnership.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department held a public meeting on Tuesday to discuss the merger between Pittsburgh-based health insurer Highmark and the struggling West Penn Allegheny Health System, also based in Pittsburgh.

The California Supreme Court has refused to review an appeals court decision in an ownership dispute between Sutter Health and Eden Township Healthcare District for San Leandro (Calif.) Hospital, according to a Mercury News report.

Valley General Hospital in Monroe, Wash., and Capella Healthcare in Franklin, Tenn., have suspended partnership discussions.