Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill., and Affinity Healthcare, a multi-specialty physician practice in Riverwoods, Ill., have signed a letter of intent to merge, according to a report by the Daily Herald.

Many hospitals are looking to buy up ASCs from physician-owners and convert them into hospital outpatient departments that command higher reimbursements than ASCs. Other hospitals are seeking to have HOPDs operate like ASCs. While physicians cannot directly own HOPDs, they…

Hospital advocates are claiming that nearly $20 million in federal funding is being withheld from Nashville General Hospital, and Nashville's Metro Council is currently considering a measure that would formally ask all Tennessee gubernatorial candidates to support passing the funds…

While less than 1 percent of U.S. births still occur outside of hospitals, the percentage grew slightly from 2005-2006, according to a report by the CDC.

A recent study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that weekend hospital care is not as prompt as weekday care, due largely to lower hospital staffing levels and services availability on the weekends, according to an AHRQ…

On Feb. 11, David Thoene, managing member of Medical Surgical Partners, presented a Webinar titled "Hospital-Doctor Joint Ventures: A Highly Efficient Physician-Engagement Tool" that highlighted reasons for and benefits of creating hospital-physician ASC joint ventures. Here he addresses two questions…

Nearly 58 percent of the surgeries performed in hospitals during 2007 were done as outpatient procedures, according to a recent statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Ohio State University's private physician practice, OSU Physicians, will join OSU Medical Center, according to a report by the Columbus Dispatch.

A survey of safety-net health systems finds their costs for uncompensated care now average more than $2.3 million per hospital, according to a release from the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems.

The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association has said that proposed cuts to the state's 2011 budget would "devastate" Arizona healthcare, according to an AzHHA news release.