Ownership is like a revolving door at Bethany Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.
In October 1997, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. bought the 251-bed hospital and then a month later announced the facility would be spun off into the new Pacific Group of Columbia hospitals as part of a corporate restructuring.
Now, Bethany has found another owner, and this time it's closer to home.
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (Kan.) Health Services Corp. said last week it had signed a letter of intent to buy Bethany.
The deal means Sisters of Charity would own two of the three acute-care hospitals in Kansas City, Kan., and control almost 51% of the inpatient beds. Sisters already owns 219-bed Providence Medical Center.
The system plans to file for antitrust clearance, said Marc Larsen, corporate director of strategic development for Sisters of Charity.
"We're not anticipating that this is going to be an issue," Larsen said.
When the 10 acute-care hospitals in nearby Kansas City, Mo., are thrown into the mix, Sisters of Charity would control more than 12% of the acute-care beds in the larger market.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to be completed in 90 days.
Sisters of Charity operate nine hospitals and four clinics in California, Colorado, Kansas and Montana.
