Dive Brief:
- HCA Healthcare’s outpatient surgery operator Surgery Ventures has acquired majority interests in two ambulatory surgical centers in North Texas, the for-profit hospital operator announced on Monday.
- The centers are now affiliated with HCA subsidiary Medical City Healthcare, which runs 19 hospitals and 15 surgery centers in the region.
- The purchase comes after HCA, one of the largest hospital operators in the country, has made other recent acquisitions in Texas, which is one of the chain’s largest markets.
Dive Insight:
Surgery Ventures operates and jointly owns more than 150 surgery centers in sixteen states, according to the operator’s website. Its network includes 50 centers in Texas.
The newly renamed Medical City Surgery Center of North Texas provides surgical care for orthopedics, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, pain management and spinal procedures as well as ear, nose and throat care.
Medical City Surgery Center Allen focuses on orthopedic procedures. Both centers were previously independently owned, according to a spokesperson.
HCA’s latest investment comes as health systems may look to expand their outpatient care footprints this year, appealing to patient preferences for more convenient options while expanding their offerings at relatively lower costs, experts told Healthcare Dive.
During its investor day in November, HCA said it planned to pour billions of dollars into broadening its emergency and high acuity services, as well as add to its outpatient locations. The chain wants each of its inpatient hospitals to have 20 outpatient facilities in the coming years.
Last month, HCA Houston Healthcare announced it had completed the purchase of 11 free-standing emergency departments from SignatureCare Emergency Centers. And in the spring, HCA said it had agreed to buy 41 urgent care centers in the state.
The hospital operator missed Wall Street expectations on earnings per share in the third quarter as the chain faced increased costs and low sales from its joint venture with physician staffing firm Valesco.
HCA reports fourth quarter earnings next week.
